UCC student 'honoured' to receive prestigious accolade for excellence in chemistry

A third year student at University College Cork (UCC), Conor Krol, has been awarded the prestigious Lennox Prize for Excellence in Chemistry.

Mr Krol, who is studying a Bachelor’s in the Chemistry of Pharmaceutical Compounds, was presented with the €1,000 prize at UCC’s School of Chemistry prize-giving ceremony on Monday.

The annual prize, sponsored by Lennox, recognises the highest-achieving eligible second-year chemistry student at UCC and reflects the company’s commitment to encouraging the next generation of scientific talent in Ireland.

Mr Krol, a Watergrasshill native, first developed an interest in chemistry while studying for his Leaving Certificate, particularly through practical experiments.

Alongside his studies, he has gained hands-on research experience, including a summer internship at UCC’s School of Chemistry in 2026, where he contributed to the InTeleCat research project, exploring the use of AI in chemical research.

Mr Krol said he was “honoured” to receive the award.

“It’s fantastic recognition of the hard work and dedication I’ve put into my studies, and it has motivated me to continue making the most of the opportunities available to me at UCC,” he said.