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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