Scholarship to honour engineer’s thirst for life

Friends of an Irish energy engineer who died in a yachting accident in San Francisco Bay last year have set up a special college scholarship in his honour.

The Dr Elmer Morrissey Scholarship will be available to a UCC student in the College of Science, Engineering and Food Science who best reflects Elmer’s vibrant character, his enthusiasm for living and his devotion to excellence, both academic and extra-curricular.

Younger sister Kelda, who lives in London, said her family and Elmer’s friends wanted to do something positive to ensure his name lived on.

“Elmer always believed in education,” she said. “He believed it is the best thing you could give anyone. This scholarship will give someone in our hometown, who maybe wouldn’t have had the opportunity, to fulfil their dream, their potential.”

Elmer, 32, originally from Glounthane in Co Cork, was one of eight crew racing the sailboat Low Speed Chase from San Francisco to loop around Maintop Island as part of the Full Crew Farallones Race on Apr 14, 2012. But they were hit by two freak 45ft waves about 45km off the coast and their vessel capsized.

All but one were thrown into the Pacific. Elmer, and fellow Irish man, Alan Cahill from Killeens, were among five people who died.

Only three bodies were recovered. Elmer’s remains were recovered from the sea 22 days after the accident.

Elmer earned two degrees from UCC — a BE Civil and Environmental in 2002, and a Doctorate of Engineering in 2006.

He was involved in many extra-curricular activities including the UCC hockey and sailing clubs, and rugby, kite-surfing and sailing. He was also a skilled violinist and ukelele player.

At the time of his death, he was a post-doctoral researcher at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, California and was widely regarded as a pioneering energy research engineer who had much to contribute to the sector.

Louise Connolly, who sits on the committee, said the scholarship will target one student every year who reflects Elmer’s multifaceted character, by rewarding a combination of academic excellence and involvement in extracurricular activities.

“This will honour Elmer’s spirit. It is something positive coming out of something that was overwhelmingly negative,” she said.

The committee needs to raise up to €30,000 and has organised a ball in Cork on Nov 16.

The ELMERBALL 13, will take place in the Maryborough House Hotel with tickets costing €80 per person.

*See elmermorrissey.org