ANNUAL PRIZES IN MATHEMATICS
| Prize Categories |
General Prizes
The Hamilton Prize
An annual prize of €1000 is awarded to the best undergraduate mathematics student in his or her penultimate year of study, as nominated by each Irish university. It is presented at a ceremony in the Royal Irish Academy by that year’s Hamilton Lecturer, often a Nobel Prize winner or Fields Medallist.
The Hamilton Prize in Mathematics celebrates the life and work of the Irish mathematician William Rowan Hamilton (1805-1865), who discovered quaternions and made major contributions to several areas of mathematical science.
The Huxley Prize,
This prize is awarded to the student obtaining the highest mark and a First Class Honours mark on the History of Mathematics module MT382A, chosen from those who have obtained an overall First Class Honours in Mathematical Studies, Pure Mathematics, or Applied Mathematics.
Instituted in honour of George Huxley, currently Adjunct Professor of Mathematics and Ancient Classics, NUIM.
Prizes in Double and Pure Mathematics
The Delort Prize
This prize is awarded to the student obtaining the best result in Double Mathematics in the First Year Examinations.
Instituted in honour of the Peter Justin Delort, first Maynooth Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy (1795–1801).
The McMahon Prize
This prize is awarded for outstanding performance in Pure Mathematics in the Penultimate Year Examinations.
Instituted in honour of the late James J. McMahon, a former Maynooth Professor of Mathematics (1960–1974).
The De Brún Prize
This prize is awarded to the student obtaining the best result in Pure Mathematics in the Degree Examinations.
Instituted in honour of the late Pádraig De Brún, a former Maynooth Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy (1913–1945), perhaps best known as author of the poem "Thánaig Long ó Valparaiso".
Prizes in Mathematical Studies
The Lennon Prize
This prize is awarded to the student obtaining the best result in Mathematical Studies in the First Year Examinations. This prize is open to students of both NUIM and the Pontifical University.
Instituted in honour of the late Francis Lennon, a former Maynooth Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy (1864–1912).
The Pamela Manly Prize
This prize is awarded to the student obtaining the best result in Mathematical Studies in the Second Year Examinations. This prize is open to students of both NUIM and the Pontifical University.
Instituted in honour of the late Pamela Manley, a former student at NUI Maynooth.
The Denvir Prize
This prize is awarded to the student obtaining the best result in Mathematical Studies in the Degree Examinations. This prize is open to students of both NUIM and the Pontifical University.
Instituted in honour of Cornelius Denvir, a former Maynooth Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy (1813–1826), best known for introducing Nicholas Callan to electricity and magnetism.
Prizes in Science and Applied Mathematics
The Boole Prize
This prize is awarded to the student obtaining the best result in Standard Mathematics in the First Science Examinations.
Instituted in honour of the mathematician George Boole (1815-1864), who laid the foundations for Computer Science.
The Gauss Prize
This prize is awarded to the student obtaining the best result in Standard Mathematics in the Second Science Examinations.
Instituted in honour of the mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777-1855), who made major contributions to many areas of mathematical science.
The Donaghy Prize
This prize is awarded to the student obtaining the best result in Applied Mathematics in the Third Year Examinations.
Instituted in honour of the late John Donaghy, a former Maynooth Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy (1912–1913).
The Stokes Prize
This prize is awarded to the student obtaining the best result in Applied Mathematics in the Degree Examinations.
Instituted in honour of the Irish mathematician George Gabriel Stokes (1819–1903). The Navier-Stokes equations were named in his honour, and are the subject of a million dollar prize.
Prizes in Statistics
The Edgeworth Prize
This prize is awarded to the student obtaining the best result in Statistics in either the Third Science or Second Arts (Pure Mathematics and Statistics) Examinations.
Instituted in honour of Francis Edgeworth (1845–1926), a former Professor of Political Economics and Statistics at King’s College, London and later at Oxford.
The Gosset Prize
This prize is awarded to the student obtaining the best result in Statistics in the B.A. Degree Examinations, the B.Sc. Degree Examinations, or the Higher Diploma in Statistics. Final Year Pure and Applied Mathematics students taking at least 30 credits of Statistics at level 400 or above are also eligible for this prize on the basis of their marks in Statistics.
Instituted in honour of William S. Gosset (1876–1937), the statistician who published under the pseudonym ‘Student’, and invented the famous t-test while working for Guinness Brewery in Dublin.
Please Note: The Department will ordinarily award a prize only if there is at least one student with an outstanding performance in an associated examination.
Entry Awards
The Darré Exhibitions
These exhibitions are awarded on entry to students in First Year Double Mathematics, on the basis of marks in Leaving Certificate Higher Mathematics and on their satisfactory participation in the course at NUI Maynooth.
Instituted in honour of André Darré, a former Maynooth Professor of Logic, Metaphysics and Ethics (1795–1801), and Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy (1801-1813), and author of the textbook Elements of Geometry.