Professor John O'Halloran is Interim President at University College Cork.
Prior to taking up this role in September 2020, Professor O'Halloran had served as Deputy President & Registrar since 2018. There he led the development and implementation of UCC's first Academic Strategy setting out plans for reimagining the curriculum, transforming assessment and nurturing graduate attributes to position UCC students for their future world of work. Having formerly served as Vice-President for Teaching & Learning, and as Vice-Head of the College of Science, Engineering & Food Science, he is an academic leader with an ambitious vision for the future of Higher Education.
In all of his leadership roles, Professor O'Halloran has delivered transformation through collaboration including the evolution of a connected university; advancement of research; modernisation and enhancement of learning and teaching; development of digital education; curriculum redesign; lifelong learning; and staff development. He is committed to developing an inclusive culture for all students and staff at UCC - one where equality is upheld, and diversity is respected. He is Chair of the Athena Swan Steering group which secured a bronze institutional award for UCC in 2016 and several departmental level awards. He is a member of the Top Management Programme Professional Reference Group of AdvanceHE, UK.
Professor O'Halloran is Chair of the Board of Fota Wildlife Park and a board member of the Central Applications Office, the NUI Senate, the Ludgate Hub, and UCC's Glucksman Gallery, amongst others. He is a judge for the BT Young Scientist & technology Exhibition and for the L'Oreal-UNESCO Women in Science Awards. Professor O'Halloran is the founding Director of UCC's Quercus Talented Students' Programme. He is also Co-Chair and founder of the UCC Green Campus Forum which has received many awards in recognition of its prioritisation of the Green Agenda, including the first green flag ever awarded to a university.
Professor O'Halloran holds the Chair in Zoology at UCC and previously held academic posts at Colby College in the USA and at the University of Wales. During his academic career he has published 250 research papers and several books in the areas of ecology, ornithology, ecotoxicology and biodiversity. His research works focus on developing a deeper understanding of the impacts of ecological change related to land-use climate, climate change and environmental contaminants. He has won research grants totalling more than 10 million for his work and has directed many transdisciplinary multi-organisational projects. A proud UCC alumnus, he was awarded a PhD for his research at UCC in 1987, and a DSc for his published works in 2009 by the National University of Ireland.
