Double honours for Skibbereen’s Séamus

WITHIN the space of two months, two of the highest honours that can be bestowed upon an academic has been bestowed upon Skibbereen’s Séamus Davis.

Last month, The Southern Star reported how Séamus Davis (right) – the son of the late Denis and Joan Davis of Glencurragh, Skibbereen – was presented with the UK’s premier research award.

That award – known as Royal Society Research Professorship – was made in support of Séamus’ ground-breaking research at Oxford University, which focuses on atomic-scale visualisation of quantum spin liquids.

On Friday, May 22nd, it was confirmed that the physicist has also been named as one of 29 new members of the Royal Irish Academy.

The 29 were chosen because they have brought international acclaim to the country. In his case, Séamus is recognised as a pioneer in the physics of quantum materials.

When he is not at Oxford, Séamus – who holds a joint position as Professor of Quantum Physics at University College Cork and Professor of Physics at Oxford University – lives in Tragumna, four miles from his native Skibbereen.

Séamus confirmed that the first award focused on work being carried out in Oxford, but the latest award will support the research on quantum materials at his alma mater, UCC.