Award | University Award for Prof. Justin Holmes

11 Oct 2019

School of Chemistry staff member Prof. Justin Holmes has been honoured in the 2019 University Staff Recognition Awards Programme and the University Research Awards.

Prof. Justin Holmes was the recipient of one of three awards for Leadership at the UCC University Staff Recognition Awards ceremony on Thursday evening, October 10th. Here is the citation given by the Academic Council Staff Development Committee is selecting Justin for the award.

Prof. Justin Holmes became Head of the then Department of Chemistry in January 2016 and successfully steered its evolution to the School of Chemistry and this award recognises his leadership in developing and embedding a strongly collegiate and co-operative atmosphere with a very strong collective sense of purpose and ambition. Operationally, working with the Head of College, Prof. Holmes has worked to secure funding to replace much of this equipment and to raise awareness of the condition of the Kane Building at College and University level. The result of his efforts and others’ is the ambitious Kane Regeneration Plan for which funding is actively being sought. Prof. Holmes’ Headship also saw a series of significant staff appointments and the securing of support for PhD students, allowing early career staff to gain a foothold in the current highly competitive and fast-moving research funding environment. His effective leadership has resulted in a recognised collegiality and shared vision amongst the staff of the school and makes him entirely deserving of this award.