Alan graduated with first class honours in Electrical Engineering from UCC in 1992. He completed his PhD at the National Microelectronics Research Centre (NMRC) in Cork and Philips Research Laboratories in Eindhoven, graduating in 1997 with a thesis in the field of semiconductor lasers. He worked as a Research Scientist at the NMRC where he had responsibility for silicon photonics, particularly the development of single photon detectors and photovoltaic devices.

He joined UCC as an academic in 1998, was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2006 and served two terms as Dean of Engineering from 2012-2018. He is currently Vice Dean for Undergraduate Affairs in the College of Science, Engineering and Food Science. This role has helped develop Alan's leadership in Teaching & Learning, Student Engagement, mentoring, accessibility and universal design for learning.

Alan is also Chair of the University Examination Appeals Committee and has extensive experience investigating alleged breaches of Academic Integrity.

Alan's research interests include single photon detection, optical detectors, light emitting diodes, photovoltaics, circuit design and the application of optoelectronic technologies.

He is a Science Foundation of Ireland co-PI with Prof Marcel Jansen, where he is responsible for developing intelligent lighting incorporating ultraviolet (UV) sources to investigate the influence of various UV wavelengths on plant response and development. This work can potentially open up opportunities for improved crop production in indoor environments, thereby tackling global issues of food security and reducing CO2 emissions.

Over the last two decades he has won several PI awards from Enterprise Ireland and SFI. He has published extensively in top-tier Engineering journals and conference proceedings and enjoys collaborative and multidisciplinary research. He is particularly interested in developing engineering solutions that enable research in other disciplines.

Approach as Mentor

My mentoring philosophy primarily about listening to and providing a sounding board for the mentee. I like to balance this with relevant examples from my own experience that may be pertinent to the needs of the mentee. I enjoy relaxed conversation and I am primarily motivated in mentoring to help colleagues navigate the speed bumps one frequently encounters along an academic career.

Type of Mentoring Offered: 

1:1 Mentoring - Longer term relationship (1 year plus).

1:1 Mentoring - Short term relationship (6 months or less).

Speed Mentoring - One meeting to address specific mentee need.

Panel Mentoring - Mentoring with 1 to 2 other panel members - Longer term relationship (1 year plus).

Panel Mentoring - Mentoring with 1 to 2 other panel members - Short term relationship (6 months or less).

Panel Mentoring - Mentoring with 1 to 2 other panel members.

Speed Mentoring Session (once off meeting around specific need).

Mentoring Topics Include: Collaborative Teaching, Advising Students, Student Engagement, Enhancing Student Learning Experiences, Innovation in Teaching, Innovation in Research, Time Management - Balancing Academic Activity, Balancing Work and Family Responsibilities, Collaborative Research, Preparing Articles for Publication, Choosing Where to Publish - Publishing Strategically, Developing an Academic Profile, How the University Operates Academically, Writing Grant Applications, Managing/ Leading Grants and Projects, Research and Professional Ethics, Team Working, Grading & Assessing Student Work, Career Development, Academic Leadership.