THE lifetime accomplishments and legacy of the self-declared ‘proud Bandon man’ Larry Poland, who is credited with helping to attract EMC (Dell) to Ovens, have been recognised through a scholarship in his name at Munster Technological University (MTU).
Mr Poland was born in Bandon, and attended primary school in the town and completed some his secondary education there too.
A hugely respected academic with a deep understanding of the needs of industry and society, the West Cork man pioneered the development of Electronic and Computer Engineering education in Ireland, introducing the first Computer Engineering programme in the country over 50 years ago.
He was hugely active in developing strong links between academia and industry, and is credited with playing a pivotal role in attracting EMC/Dell to establish a major facility in Ovens, which today employs thousands of staff members under the Dell Technologies organisation.
He was also a founder member of the Cork Electronics Industry Association, which celebrated its fortieth anniversary this year.
An Emeritus Fellow and former Head of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Cork Institute of Technology, his many achievements have recently been recognised through the announcement of the Larry Poland Electronic Engineering Scholarship at MTU.
The scholarship is funded through the Irish American Partnership Scholars Programme by US-based Rob Short, a graduate of Cork RTC who credits Larry with making a pivotal contribution to his education.
‘Larry’s contribution to the tech industry in Ireland cannot be overstated’ said Rob.
‘A global IT company was looking for a European site in the early 70s, a US team visited and asked Larry about his courses. His response became famous: ‘tell me what you need and in a year I’ll have a course for you’.
‘This course gave me and so many others a start in a fantastic career. Larry worked tirelessly to bridge the gap between industry and academia long before it became fashionable. Even as he hobnobbed with CEOs and ministers, Larry never lost his passion and focus for his students. Truly an inspiration to all of us.’
The scholarship will support students enrolled on the four-year Bachelor of Engineering course (Hons) in Electronic Engineering programme in MTU.
The award will provide a scholarship of €2,500 per student for four students, totalling to €10,000 per annum.
The scholarship will be funded for a five-year period and will be open for applications from all students enrolled on MTU’s BEng (Hons) in Electronic Engineering during the academic year 2025/2026.
