Professor Austin Coffey has joined the judging panel for the Business Energy Achievement Awards 2026. Professor of Engineering at TUS Athlone, he brings over thirty years of experience spanning polymer engineering, advanced manufacturing, biomedical technologies, and sustainable materials to his panel role. His career sits at the intersection of academic leadership, applied research, and industry engagement, giving him a well-rounded perspective on the real-world challenges and opportunities that define energy and sustainability performance in Irish manufacturing.

At TUS Athlone, Professor Coffey leads postgraduate programme development, including the MSc in Advanced Engineering Technologies and a Professional Doctorate in Engineering, two programmes that reflect his commitment to developing the next generation of engineers equipped to address complex sustainability and manufacturing challenges. He has served as Head of Department, founded and led university spin-out companies, supervised postgraduate researchers, and built international university-industry partnerships that connect academic research with commercial application at scale. That blend of institutional leadership and entrepreneurial experience gives him a sharp understanding of how innovation moves from concept to industry-wide adoption.

His work in sustainable materials is particularly relevant to the Business Energy Achievement Awards. As founder and Chair of the Global Polymer Sustainability and Innovation Summit, Professor Coffey has positioned Ireland as a voice of leadership in sustainable polymers and manufacturing innovation on the international stage. The summit brings together researchers, industry leaders, and policymakers to advance the practical application of sustainable materials across manufacturing, a discipline that sits at the heart of Ireland's broader decarbonisation agenda.

That combination of academic rigour, industry connectivity, and a demonstrable commitment to sustainability at global scale makes Professor Coffey a valuable and well-positioned addition to the judging panel.

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