UL students win national engineering award for innovation targeting hospital-acquired infections
A team of University of Limerick students has won the Engineers Ireland Siemens Innovative Student Engineer of the Year Award 2026 for developing a medical device to help prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia, a serious infection that can affect patients receiving mechanical ventilation in intensive care units.
The award-winning project, ExHalo GUARDIAN, was developed by UL biomedical engineering students Omar Amin, Benjamin O'Sullivan, Roisin Power, and James Dollery with the aim of reducing the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia, one of the most common hospital-acquired infections among critically ill patients.
The team earned the top prize at the national competition after impressing judges with their approach to tackling a significant healthcare challenge through engineering-led innovation.
The project was inspired by the personal experience of one of the team whose family member contracted ventilator-associated pneumonia. The experience highlighted the impact such infections can have on patients and families and motivated the students to develop a practical solution to improve patient safety.
Commenting on the students' achievement, Associate Professor, School of Engineering, John Mulvihill said:
"This is UL's second win of this competition in three years, and a great representation of the work and innovation that all our students and graduates develop in our Biomedical Engineering programme. What you don't see behind the scenes is the 12 months of hard work and creativity involved in developing the problem, solution and business plan. We are extremely proud of all our students, and we are honoured to be part of their journey. Thanks to my colleagues Eoghan Cunnane, Tara Dalton, Michael Walsh, and our Head of School David Newport. "
Organised by Engineers Ireland and supported by Siemens, the annual competition recognises outstanding third-level engineering projects that demonstrate innovation, sustainability, and commercial potential.
The 2026 final, held on 22 October, brought together six teams from universities across Ireland to present projects addressing challenges across healthcare, agriculture, energy, and technology. Finalists showcased a wide range of ideas, including biomedical devices, agricultural systems, and technologies designed to strengthen and modernise critical infrastructure.
The winning projects were evaluated by an expert judging panel comprising Joe Walsh, Managing Director of Siemens Ireland; Mia Fahey McCarthy, Head of Sustainability at SSE Ireland; Miriam Ryan, Associate Structural Engineer at Arup; and Susána Ramjit, Head of Engineering Excellence and Development at SISK.
