Social entrepreneur Ruairi McKiernan has been selected as one of the recipients of the inaugural Fulbright TechImpact Award. The award, which seeks to recognise exceptional leadership in ICT, provides McKiernan with a scholarship to undertake research at the pioneering Citizen Engagement Laboratory in Berkeley, California, where he will explore the latest developments in how the Internet can be used to improve community engagement, democracy and political decision making.
McKiernan was appointed to the Council of State by President Michael D. Higgins in 2011, having set up the award-winning SpunOut.ie youth organisation 10 years ago from his home in Co. Donegal.
In 2010, McKiernan moved on as SpunOut.ie CEO and currently works as an independent campaigner and consultant helping individuals, non-profits and companies harness the power of technology. Part of this work involves helping set-up Uplift, a new organisation launching later this year that aims to provide digital tools for people-powered campaigning.
The other TechImpact award recipients include Dr Orla Murphy (UCC), Dr David Monaghan (DCU), Dr Ian McLoughlin (IT Sligo), Dr Jeneen Naji (NUI Maynooth) and Dr Colm Browning (DCU).
The recipients will spend time at institutions including Columbia University, Stanford University and Brown University.
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