Nobel Laureate Morten Meldal Honoured With The UCD Biological Society Eve McCarthy Award 2025 For "Inspiring Aspiring Scientists"

On the evening of April 15th, 2025, the UCD Biological Society (BioSoc) hosted the inaugural Eve McCarthy Award for “Inspiring Aspiring Scientists”, presented to 2022 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, Professor Morten Meldal, in a full auditorium at the O’Brien Centre for Science. The award was newly renamed in memory of Eve McCarthy, a final-year physiology student, former Treasurer, and a deeply loved member of the society. 

The ceremony honoured Professor Morten Meldal for his enduring commitment to the mentorship and pioneering work in click chemistry, which the Nobel praised for bringing chemistry into an "era of functionalism". Meldal’s acceptance speech and keynote lecture were both intellectually engaging and emotionally resonant, touching on the logic of molecular design, the pursuit of chemical simplicity, and the spirit that drives discovery. His reflections underscored the interconnectedness of curiosity, creativity, and collaboration in research and life.

This award meant a great deal to many, not just within the society. Eve brought joy, energy, and conviction to everything she did, and BioSoc are proud to honour her. This award will continue in her name and hope it will always reflect her passion. More than a celebration of one scientist’s impact, the evening embodied the
society’s core mission: to make science personal, accessible, and transformative, and to create a genuine community. It served as a fitting conclusion to a year defined by compassion, growth, resilience and a shared commitment to “Inspiring Aspiring Scientists.”