Profile

I graduated from the National University of Ireland, Galway with a PhD in Biochemistry and following a period as a Post Doctoral researcher in the US I was appointed as a college lecturer in Microbiology here in UCC in 1988. I am currently Professor of Environmental Microbiology having been promoted over the last number of years in the School of Microbiology at University College Cork, Ireland. From 2005-2014 I was Director of the Environmental Research Institute at UCC.  My main research interests are the the study of microorganisms in either natural or artificial environments and their potential biotechnological exploitation. My research group are focused on gaining a fuller understanding of how microbes survive, grow and interact in their various ecological niches; an approach which is fundamental to their exploitation for biotechnological applications. I have to date published more than 170 peer-reviewed papers.  In 1992 I was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship and in 1999 the Royal Irish Academy Medal in Microbiology for my work in Environmental Microbiology.  In 2005 I was awarded a DSc in Microbiology & Molecular Biology by the National University of Ireland. In 2013 I was elected to the Royal Irish Academy. 

Types of Mentoring Offered: 1:1 or panel mentoring, longer term relationship (1 year plus)

Mentoring Topics Include: Innovation in Research, Collaborative Research, Preparing Articles for Publication, Choosing Where to Publish - Publishing Strategically, How the University Operates Academically, Writing Grant Applications, Career Development, Academic Leadership

Approach as a Mentor: Having been an academic at UCC for over 30 years I have gained an in-depth knowledge of academic life in general and of UCC in particular. I would be happy to share many of the insights and experiences that I have gained to facilitate others with their future career progression/planning. I am an open, outgoing person and my approach would be to help people reach their full potential as academics, by providing meaningful academic advice and mentorship based on my experiences here at UCC.