UCC academics elected to Royal Irish Academy

24 May 2024

Three University College Cork (UCC) academics were recently elected to the Royal Irish Academy (RIA), the highest academic honour in Ireland. 28 newly elected members were officially admitted to the Academy at the Admittance Day for their exceptional contributions to the sciences, humanities, and social science, as well as to public service. The UCC senior academics newly elected to ‘Science’ in the RIA are Professor Maria McNamara, Professor Caitriona O’Driscoll and UCC President Professor John O’Halloran.

Professor Maria McNamara is a palaeobiologist in the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences at UCC. Her research focusses on the preservation of fossil soft tissues, including biomolecules such as melanin and keratins, and on the evolution of melanin pigmentation in animals. She is the recipient of two European Research Council grants, including a current Consolidator Grant. Maria’s key research strengths lie in analytical chemistry and microbeam analysis of tissues in fossil and modern animals. She has published in prominent interdisciplinary journals including Nature, Science, Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Nature Communications, and Nature Ecology & Evolution. Maria is passionate about public engagement of STEM and manages the national programme “Ireland’s Fossil Heritage”, which uses fossils as a vehicle to enhance public participation in, and positive attitudes towards, STEM.

Professor Caitriona O’Driscoll is Professor and Chair of Pharmaceutics at UCC and Director of UCC Futures - Future Medicines. Caitriona was appointed in 2003 as the first Head of the School of Pharmacy. Caitriona’s research interests are translational in nature, focused on non-viral delivery of Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) therapeutics, and she has helped to build an internationally recognised team in the field of RNA medicines within Pharmacy at UCC. Her research has been funded and associated with four Science Foundation Ireland Research Centres: Curam (Medical Devices); SSPC (Pharmaceuticals), AMBER (Advanced Materials & Bioengineering) & APC (Pharmabiotics).

Professor John O’Halloran is President of UCC where he also holds the Chair in Zoology. In 1989 he took up his first lecturing post in UCC, and in 2010 was the founding Head of School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences. He is also a former Vice-Head of the College of Science, Engineering & Food Science at UCC and has held academic posts in the University of Wales, Cardiff and Colby College, Maine, USA. Professor O’Halloran is one of Ireland’s leading ornithologists and is recognised internationally for his leadership in ecological research and education. The focus of his work is on natural resource management and the impacts of environmental change related to land-use, climate and environmental contaminants on biodiversity and ecosystems. Professor O'Halloran has made substantial contributions to research on forest ecology, ornithology and ecotoxicology and their interaction with the forestry, agriculture, water, and wind industries. His research has led to the generation of significant new knowledge on the biology and ecology of range of species and habitats, including the seminal work on lead contamination in swans and on the effects of contaminants and land use change on dippers. His research and leadership have enhanced scientific knowledge, educated research scientists, and informed policy to improve the sustainable relationship between society, industry, and the environment.

There is no greater accolade than peer recognition for your work, and I am very proud to be elected to join this esteemed community of scholars. I look forward to working with the RIA to advance the important role of research and education in safeguarding our people and our planet.

-UCC President Professor John O’Halloran