Five Chartered Engineers have been confirmed as finalists for the Chartered Engineer of the Year Award, supported by Arup.

The shortlist features Aishwarya Ashok, Enda Geraghty, Eoin Kavanagh, Jonathan Ruddy and Laura Fernández Vila, recognised for innovative work spanning rail, energy networks, building services, interconnector commissioning and digital structural design.

Chartered Engineer status is widely regarded as the profession's gold standard. Engineers Ireland holds the sole statutory authority to confer the title in Ireland, following a rigorous assessment that verifies an engineer's ability to apply professional competence in the workplace.

The Chartered Engineer of the Year Award highlights outstanding achievement among those who attained the title in the past 12 months. At a dedicated showcase, the finalists will present their projects before an evening of networking with canapés and drinks in Café Clyde. The event is open to all members, with limited places and complimentary registration available.

Áine Myler, Director General of Engineers Ireland, commented: "What an exciting glimpse of the future of engineering in Ireland these five finalists represent. Each is making an extraordinary contribution in their chosen field, demonstrating not just technical excellence, but the creativity, ambition and determination to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing our society. Being shortlisted for Chartered Engineer of the Year is a tremendous achievement and a recognition of the impact they are already making, with so much more to come. I warmly congratulate all five finalists and thank Arup for their continued support of this prestigious award and the exceptional engineering talent it celebrates."

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Aishwarya Ashok, Energy and Systems Engineer, Transport Infrastructure Ireland

Project title: Remote Axle Counter Reset System: Enhancing Railway Safety, Reliability and Operational Resilience

With experience across heavy and light rail, Ashok has contributed to major re-signalling and infrastructure upgrades. She advances energy efficiency and renewable initiatives to support a greener transport network, improving performance and resilience. A strong advocate for inclusion, she introduced properly fitted PPE and enhanced hygiene facilities for women on operational sites, and partnered with the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers to deliver the 'Back to Basics' Railway Seminar, promoting knowledge sharing across the sector.

Enda Geraghty, Senior Electrical Engineer, ESB Networks

Project title: Rural Electrification 2.0

Geraghty's work spans automation, design, consultancy and offshore wind projects from Strabane to St Lucia. Committed to lifelong learning and a servant leadership approach, he prioritises success through people and is actively engaged in talent development, including through the STEPS programme.

Eoin Kavanagh, Senior Mechanical Engineer, Malone Group

Project title: SPADE Shared Kitchen – Fuelling Food Entrepreneurs in the heart of Dublin

Kavanagh has more than 14 years' experience delivering building services across pharmaceutical, food and drink, commercial, education and retail projects. A DIT Building Services Engineering graduate, he leads multidisciplinary teams from concept and detailed design through procurement, construction and handover. His expertise in HVAC, energy compliance and sustainable design underpins practical solutions that enhance building performance while balancing operational, regulatory and commercial priorities. He mentors graduates and champions continuous professional development to advance excellence and sustainability in the built environment.

Jonathan Ruddy, Commissioning Manager, EirGrid

Project title: Connecting Ireland to Europe and GB: Commissioning major HVDC Interconnectors

Ruddy is an engineering manager, technical project manager and HVDC specialist with a PhD focused on offshore wind integration via HVDC. He is Commissioning Manager on the Celtic Interconnector between Ireland and France, overseeing commissioning of the Irish converter station and the HVDC control system, coordinating multidisciplinary teams and grid integration. Previously, as Technology Manager on the Greenlink Interconnector between Ireland and Wales, he led technical delivery across converter stations, DC/AC cables and a 220 kV substation from design to commissioning, following earlier R&D work with EPRI.

Laura Fernández Vila, Structural Engineer, Roughan & O'Donovan

Project title: Digital Engineering in Structural Design: From Models to Better Decisions

A chartered structural engineer with 11 years' experience, Fernández Vila began her career in Denmark while completing a master's at the Technical University of Denmark. At ROD, she has led structural designs across healthcare, education and community projects through all stages, emphasising integrated solutions and multidisciplinary collaboration. Combining structural expertise with digital engineering, she has improved the quality and efficiency of ROD's design processes and helped develop and implement its information management standards.