Irish university scholorships named after semiconductor pioneer.

The University of Limerick (UL) and Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI) have announced two scholarship programs in honour of Peter Real, ADI’s late chief technology officer (CTO) and UL alumnus. The scholarships will be awarded to students in the United States who are pursuing a PhD and undergraduate degrees at the University of Limerick.

The late Peter Real

The Peter Real Analog Devices Bernal Fulbright PhD Scholarship will be awarded in partnership with the Bernal Institute at UL and the Fulbright Commission. The scholarship will fund post-graduate PhD research with a focus on scientific, biomedical or ecological disciplines and enable a US citizen to complete a fully funded PhD at UL over a period of four years.

“I am delighted to see that the multinational semiconductor company Analog Devices has decided to further invest in our strong partnership under the prestigious Fulbright scheme, targeting cleantech and health research that is critical for Ireland’s economic recovery,” said Luuk van der Wielen, Director of the Bernal Institute.


The Peter Real Analog Devices Scholarship for undergraduate students, which will award €5,000 each to three students, are merit-based and students who are accepted to UL with top academic grades will be considered. The funds are designed to help support cost-of-living expenses, including room and board. Scholarship funds will be awarded to one student in each of the following categories:

1. A student studying science or engineering
2. A graduate of a Boston, Mass.- area high school in honour of ADI’s global headquarters location
3. A student pursuing a general UL undergraduate degree

“These scholarships will truly benefit the next generation of students who wish to study at UL and broaden their cultural horizons,” said Josephine Page, Director of International Education, UL.

Harvey Duthie, UL Foundation’s CEO said, “We thank Analog Devices for its generous support. Through these scholarships, we look forward to welcoming many more American students to UL.”

The scholarship program’s namesake, Peter Real, received a bachelor’s degree in Electronic Systems from the University of Limerick (formerly the National Institute for Higher Education) in 1981. Mr. Real enjoyed a successful engineering career including serving as CTO of ADI where he led and defined the company’s technological vision. He held strong ties to both the United States and Ireland, having worked at ADI in both countries. In 2019, Mr. Real was posthumously recognized at the University of Limerick’s Annual Alumni awards for his outstanding contributions to science and technology.

“Peter was an engineering industry giant, holding nine patents and having deep experience across different engineering roles, mentoring many future engineering and business leaders. Throughout his career, Peter nurtured technology development at UL as well as in the United States and advised many research bodies across the globe,” said Martin Cotter, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Sales and Digital Marketing at Analog Devices and a close colleague of Mr. Real’s for many years. “When we thought about how to recognize Peter’s contribution to our company and to the industry, it was a natural decision to fund scholarships that represented his personal and professional relationships with the United States, Ireland and the University of Limerick.”

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