UCC’s Civil Engineering Building to be named after the first female engineering graduate of the university, Iris Ashley Cummins.
Iris Ashley Cummins, was born in Glanmire County Cork in 1894 and graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering from UCC in 1915.
She was the first female land surveyor for the Irish Land Commission and the first female Associate Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers of Ireland.
Iris was also a talented hockey player, representing both UCC and Ireland at senior level.
The naming of UCC’c civil engineering building took place this week to highlight Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day on tomorrow Thursday 24 February.
Speaking about the significance of the building’s naming Professor John O’Halloran, President, UCC said:
“We are delighted to mark the naming of UCC's Civil Engineering Building in honour of Iris Ashley Cummins - UCC's first female engineering graduate. Iris is an exemplar for women in STEM. She was an independent and creative thinker whose pioneering actions challenged the gender norms of her day. We are proud of her achievements, and we hope that everyone who passes through the doors of the Iris Ashley Cummins building will find inspiration in her legacy. You cannot be, what you cannot see and this is another important step in providing role models for our community”.
Pictured: Rose Campbell and David James, relatives of Iris Ashley Cummins. Photo By Tomas Tyner, UCC.Dan Hearn, grandnephew of Iris Ashley Cummins who attended the ceremony at UCC said:
“We are honoured that University College Cork has decided to name this building after our relative Iris Ashley Cummins. Iris and her family had strong links to the university, and it makes us very proud to see her memory being kept alive in this way. I think she would be especially pleased to know that this is the first of UCC’s building to be named after a female pioneer.”
Professor Sarah Culloty, Head, College of Science, Engineering and Food Science, UCC commented:
“This is a very special day for STEM at UCC. By elevating the legacy of women like Iris Ashley Cummins we hope we can encourage our female students to pursue exciting and rewarding careers in STEM. Generations of UCC students can now find inspiration in Iris’ remarkable story and be motivated to follow in her ambitious footsteps”.
