27 Jan 2006

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment signs agreement for Tyndall National Institute, UCC

Development of Tyndall National Institute underscores government commitment to the Knowledge Economy

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin TD, today (27 January 2006) signed an agreement between the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) and UCC to promote the development of the Tyndall National Institute in Cork.

Minister Martin commented: "This agreement is a vital step in the evolution of Tyndall to a truly national Institute. It provides for an independent and autonomous Board which will ensure that Tyndall can focus on research excellence and collaboration with industry. It will lead to the delivery of the next generation technologies and skilled postgraduates necessary to grow Ireland's high-tech knowledge economy."

He continued: "Over the past two years, my Department's Office of Science and Technology (OST) has provided €16m in infrastructural and access funding and €5 million for advanced equipment for Tyndall. These investments form part of a long term commitment to develop Tyndall as a world class institute". The Minister announced that he had provided a further €7 million to Science Foundation Ireland to continue Tyndall's development through 2006. This funding will allow the continued expansion and development of the Institute's base at the Lee Maltings and promote access to its facilities by researchers throughout Ireland.

UCC President, Professor Gerard Wrixon commented: "The Government's commitment to the development of a high-tech economy is reflected in today's signing of this agreement. The investment in the development of Tyndall is a key element in positioning Ireland at the forefront of new emerging technologies in the ICT sector and further demonstrates UCC's ability to attract funding and position it as a centre of research excellence."  He also acknowledged the Minister's foresight in setting up the National Access Programme (NAP) in 2004 with funding through SFI. NAP provides funded access to the very extensive Tyndall research infrastructure, unique in Ireland, for all researchers within the Universities and Institutes of Technology in Ireland. "It is vital that the facilities at Tyndall are available to the ICT research community throughout Ireland" said the Minister.

UCC is home to a number of world-class research institutes such as the BioSciences Institute, the Environmental Research Institute and now the Tyndall National Institute. Tyndall was established in 2004 as a partnership between DETE and UCC and brings together over 300 research scientists, engineers and students to create a critical mass of researchers, with extensive state-of-the-art research facilities. The Institute builds on the established strengths of UCC in the area of Information and Communications Technology, while harnessing world-class capabilities and competencies in other UCC strategic areas such as biotechnology, e.g. the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC), the BioMerit Research Centre and software design, e.g. Cork Constraint Computation Centre (4C).  

A significant part of Tyndall is the former National Microelectronics Research Centre (NMRC) which flourished under the leadership of its founder and director, UCC's President, Professor Gerard Wrixon.  Since the establishment of Tyndall, additional researchers from UCC and CIT in the areas of circuit design and testing, functional nanostructures and RF systems, have already joined research teams at Tyndall.  As the facilities expand the Institute will host researchers from across Ireland, both from academia and industry, and from international research laboratories.

The Institute will be a focal point for ICT in Ireland, for the benefit of Irish industry and academia.  The strengths of the Institute currently lie in the areas of photonics, electronics, materials and nanotechnologies and their applications for life sciences, communications, power electronics and other industries.  Research programmes at the Institute range from theoretical modelling and design to novel material, nanotechnology, device processing and fabrication, packaging and integration and novel systems incorporating these new devices.

The Minister also welcomed the newly appointed Tyndall Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Professor Roger Whatmore, who has joined Tyndall from a leading position at Cranfield University in UK.  Professor Whatmore said he was looking forward to leading such a strategically important institute as Tyndall. "The capital development programme and development and implementation of a new strategic plan will be my key priorities." He added "My intention, and that of the scientists and engineers here, is to build upon Tyndall's internationally recognised excellence in research and bring this research to the market place to encourage the development of high technology industries within Ireland."
 
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