TU Dublin Wins Prestigious Ansys Grant to Lead Simulation Curriculum Innovation
Technological University Dublin has been awarded $25,000 as part of the competitive Ansys Curriculum Awards 2025, becoming the first Irish university to receive the honour. The grant will offer support for the advanced development of curriculum and teaching activities that apply Ansys simulation tools across multiple modules and disciplines. Student cohorts will benefit significantly - from first-year students learning computer-aided design (CAD) to final-year and Master’s students applying advanced Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD).
Gerald Gallagher, Project Lead and Co-Lead of the TU Dublin CFD Research Group, said:
“Decisions across STEM disciplines are increasingly driven by high‑fidelity simulation methods such as FEA and CFD. By further embedding Ansys tools throughout our programmes, students will engage with simulation from the very beginning of their studies, ensuring every graduate leaves TU Dublin fluent in the digital workflows industry demands. Looking ahead, as simulation converges with AI and machine learning approaches, the grant will also support the development of new content that prepares students for the next generation of physics-based, data‑driven science and engineering.”
The grant will fund the creation of specialised lecture, laboratory, and assessment content, aid in the launch of hands-on Ansys workshops with support from research groups like the TU Dublin CFD Research Group, and establish prizes for simulation-based undergraduate and postgraduate projects. All activities will be supported by Ansys and their national representative, CADFEM Ireland, and the developed content will be suitable for use in Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Applied Mathematics and related STEM fields.
With expert support from Ansys and CADFEM Ireland, the grant will allow Gerald to work with TU Dublin module coordinators and develop Ansys content that students will engage with at different stages of their studies. Lectures, laboratories and projects can benefit from Ansys tools like:
- Ansys Fluent for CFD investigations, e.g. biomedical device flows or wind turbine optimisation
- Ansys Mechanical for detailed FEA stress analysis, e.g. aircraft component testing
- Ansys Granta EduPack for material selection, e.g. corrosion-resistant alloys or biocompatible materials for implants
- Ansys Discovery for rapid, simulation-driven design, e.g. heat exchanger optimisation or early product concepts
Final‑Year Mechanical Engineering Student Ben Cullen said:
“The Ansys curriculum grant will be of huge benefit to future students. It will allow them to develop skills in simulation techniques and help raise the overall standard of final year projects by allowing students to tackle more ambitious and challenging problems. It will also help to promote the topic of CFD within the university, highlight the importance of CFD in the world of engineering and perhaps encourage others, like me, to pursue further studies and employment in the field”.
Ben’s capstone project used Ansys Fluent to optimise low-Reynolds-number flow in spinner flask bioreactors for tissue engineering applications. He will undertake an MSc in Computational Fluid Dynamics at Cranfield University in September 2025, driven by his interest in simulation.
The initiative supports TU Dublin’s Strategic Intent 2030 and complements the University’s recent No. 1 European ranking for Sustainability in Higher Education. Through the promotion of simulation and sustainable design, it reinforces TU Dublin’s commitment to producing graduates ready to lead the digital and green transition.