Nov 11 2013
Topcon Corporation – a global leader in precision measurement instruments – has equipped two laboratories at the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) with state of the art technology equipment.
Dr. Eugene McGovern, DIT’s Spatial Information Services and Ray O’Connor
The donation of equipment – worth more than $500,000 – has been made as part of the company’s education partnering initiative.
Ray O’Connor, president and CEO of Topcon Positioning Systems (TPS), and senior managing executive officer with Topcon Corporation, formally launched the two technology labs for surveying and optometry students on Wednesday, October 23, at two DIT campuses.
Following the presentation, O’Connor received an honorary membership of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland at their annual conference in Dublin. In 2012, DIT conferred the award of Honorary Doctorate on O’Connor, a native of Ireland and a DIT graduate.
Topcon designs and manufactures precise positioning products and solutions for numerous industries including surveying, construction, agriculture, civil engineering, mapping and GIS, asset management, as well as precision instruments for advanced eye care practice.
Speaking to students and academics at the launch of the dedicated Topcon Technology labs for optometry and surveying in DIT, O’Connor said, “Topcon’s global Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program is one of the company’s primary missions. We have a long-established program to assist educational institutions, and have done so in more than 500 entities around the world.
“This commitment to provide and update the Institute with advanced geodesy and ophthalmic instruments is an extraordinary opportunity that we are very proud to accept.”
O’Connor said, “This opportunity to assist in educating ‘Generation Z’ with the tools and skills that are critical as geodesy moves into the 4-, 5-, and 6-D world is a start to bridging the gap between the global infrastructure need of the future and the world’s ability to meet it.
“As the global population expands, it’s not only a strain on infrastructure, but also on health care. Our ophthalmic instruments will help ensure that DIT students are fully equipped to learn, and perhaps help create, advanced technology and processes for eye care.”
Professor Brian Norton, president of DIT, said the generous donation of equipment from Topcon is enormously significant. “DIT has a very particular role in higher education in Ireland. We offer career-focused programs at the highest level that are practice-based and research-informed. Both of those aspects are of equal importance to our students, ensuring that their learning is current and relevant to their future careers.
“The fact that this donation has been facilitated by a graduate of DIT enhances our pleasure in receiving it,” he said.