Mayo native named in Irish Echo Top 40 Under 40 Irish in America 2024
CLAREMORRIS native Luke Gibbons (27) has been named in the Irish Echo Top 40 Under 40 Irish in America 2024.
Founder of the Ireland America Young Professionals Network, Luke is currently based in Boston, Massachusetts, where he is a Fulbright Scholar and Researcher at Harvard Law School. He is also a Ph.D. in Law Candidate and Irish Research Council Government of Ireland Scholar at Trinity College Dublin.
The 40 Under 40 Awards is a celebration of Irish and Irish Americans who have distinguished themselves in their respective fields of work before reaching the age of 40. It honours the up and coming personalities of Irish America from every walk of life, and from every part of the nation, spotlighting leaders who work in a variety of fields and occupation.
Gibbons has been included in this prestigious list in recognition of his transatlantic climate research and endeavours to promote Irish American relations.
Luke’s current Fulbright research at Harvard Law School assesses the differences between company directors’ duties in the United States and Ireland in light of climate change risks to business. His research has been described as both ‘innovative’ and ‘ground-breaking’. This comparative study between the United States and Ireland is a first of its kind.
His research will create real change in the world and assist as a piece in the puzzle to tackle the polycentric and globally pervasive issue of climate change. The aim is to provide a generalised standard between the United States and Ireland with regards to how company directors treat climate change risks and in turn foster transatlantic relationships.
In promoting US and Ireland cooperation, Luke’s research has led to him meeting several influential individuals and winning notable allies. In October 2023 Luke was invited to Columbia University’s Institute of Politics event entitled ‘The United Nations Declaration of Human Rights at 75’, on the basis of his research links to the human right to a healthy environmental. There he met former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, former President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa.
He recently presented his work virtually at the Irish Centre for European Law and Environmental Protection Agency Conference at Dublin Castle.
Last September, Luke established the Ireland America Young Professionals Network (IAYPN), which now has 600 members across the US and Ireland.
Luke was also a Legislative Fellow in the Office of Congressman Matt Cartwright on Capitol Hill as part of the Washington Ireland Program. The program is extremely competitive with over 1,000 applicants for 30 places. Specifically, in his role Luke worked on a number of key initiatives to promote the special relationship between Ireland and the United States.
In 2022 Luke was named as Irish Law Student of the Year 2022 in recognition of his climatic research and JCI Most Outstanding Young Person Under 40 for Academic Leadership and Achievement in Ireland 2021.
The 17th annual 40 Under 40 Awards will take place on Friday, February 23, at The View at The Battery in New York City. To see the full list of awardees visit https://www.irishecho.com/events/2024-irish-echo-40-under-40-awards.