James McNamara, Lecturer in the Department of Built Environment and Trades at TUS Athlone and a Chartered Quantity Surveyor with over 40 years of construction industry experience, has been announced as a member of the judging panel for the Engineering Excellence Awards 2026, contributing a career that spans residential and commercial construction, international project delivery, and higher education to the evaluation of engineering excellence across Ireland.

McNamara's construction career has taken him across some of the most ambitious infrastructure engineering projects of the past four decades. His work abroad included roles in Nigeria, London, and most recently Luoyang Institute of Technology in China, where he lectured in the Construction Management module of TUS's Civil Engineering course, as well as landmark projects including the Channel Tunnel and Euro Disney, a portfolio that places him among the more internationally experienced practitioners contributing to the panel. 

That breadth of exposure across diverse construction settings, both residential and commercial, underpins a practitioner's understanding of what engineering project delivery demands across different scales, sectors, and jurisdictions.

His academic contribution is equally extensive. At TUS, McNamara has lectured across Civil Engineering, Construction Management, and Quantity Surveying, and has been directly involved in the development of new courses in both disciplines. 

He served as External Examiner for ATU Galway and as an Accrediting Assessor for the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland for TUD, ATU, and SETU Quantity Surveying programmes. 

In 2023, he chaired the SCSI panel visit to review NUIG's MA in Rural Futures, Planning and Innovation, and regularly presents to prospective third-level students on behalf of both TUS and the SCSI, reflecting a sustained commitment to engineering leadership and education that reaches beyond the lecture hall.

His professional credentials include membership of RICS, SCSI, and CIArb, alongside postgraduate qualifications in Project Management and Construction Law and Contract Administration.

The Engineering Excellence Awards 2026 spans 26 categories recognising outstanding achievement across civil engineering, structural engineering, sustainable engineering, renewable energy, manufacturing, and innovation in engineering.

McNamara joins a panel that includes Judging Coordinator Matt Cotterell of MTU, Professor Brian Caulfield of Trinity College Dublin, Dr Brian Deegan of the University of Galway, Dr John Mulvihill of the University of Limerick, Niall Hanley of JJ Rhatigan, Tom Rowan of Rowan Engineering, and Barry Williams of Mott MacDonald Ireland.

The awards gala will take place on 21 October 2026 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry.

Visit the official Engineering Excellence Awards website and subscribe to the newsletter for category details, programme updates, and the full judging panel.