Queen's University Belfast nominated four candidates this year, with its award presented to Masters student Kerri Ennis of McAdam Design for a pilot floating solar–UV hybrid system aimed at tackling harmful algal blooms in Lough Neagh.

As part of the scholarship, the two winners are required to 'share knowledge' through a written paper and a presentation to the sponsoring organisations – Farrans and Graham.

The scholarship's origins trace back to David Orr, a Queen's University Belfast graduate who became President of the Institution of Civil Engineers in November 2007. In his Presidential Address he spoke of the profession's "unsung heroes … who work in teams and partnerships, often unrecognized, to create and maintain the essential fabric of our society". He highlighted the lesser-known William Bald, who engineered the 38 km Antrim Coast Road between 1832 and 1842, as an example of this theme.

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During his presidency, David Orr sought to strengthen professionalism, competence and knowledge sharing in civil engineering. The scholarship was established by his civil engineering colleagues from industry and government as a tribute to the 'unsung heroes' who have contributed to building and maintaining Northern Ireland's essential infrastructure.

Recognising David's long-standing involvement in roads and transportation – including an MSc focused on pavement management systems and subsequent studies in Canada, Germany and Holland on design-and-construct techniques – the scholarship is awarded to recognise excellence in Masters-level dissertation studies in Civil Engineering or allied professions.

At Queen's University Belfast, all Masters programmes overseen by the Civil Engineering Exam Board are eligible. In consultation with each MSc programme director, the Board typically nominates between one and three students per programme based on their final dissertation mark. Shortlisted nominees are interviewed by an external panel drawn from the local civil engineering profession, usually including representatives of the sponsoring companies, to determine the award recipients.

The Scholarship is independently administered by W Alan Strong, Visiting Professor in Civil Engineering, Ulster University.