Irish Research Council welcomes Professor Colin Scott as member

Posted 20 December 2021

(opens in a new window)Professor Colin Scott, Vice-President for Equality Diversity & Inclusion at University College Dublin, has been appointed to the (opens in a new window)Irish Research Council (IRC).

The three-year appointment was made by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris TD, who said Professor Scott would be a “valuable contribution to the Council”.

“I am delighted to appoint Professor Claire Connolly and Professor Colm Scott to the Irish Research Council... [their] experience and insight into the research sector will be of great benefit in helping to promote research excellence in Ireland.”

Professor Scott is the UCD Professor of EU Regulation and Governance, and Dean of Social Sciences and Principal of UCD College of Social Sciences and Law.

He studied law at the London School of Economics and at Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto.

His research has focused centrally on the trends of, and implications from, the fragmentation of regulatory governance.

His fellow appointee Professor Connolly is a Professor of Modern English, and Head of the School of English and Digital Humanities at University College Cork.

She is a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales, a Member of the Royal Irish Academy and the Royal Irish Academy Council.

Her publications to date have focused on the cultural history of eighteenth and nineteenth-century Ireland.

“We are very pleased to welcome Professor Claire Connolly and Professor Colin Scott as members of the Irish Research Council,” said Peter Brown, IRC Director.

“This is an interesting time for the Irish Research Council as the Government prepares a new national strategy for research and innovation.

Adding: “The Irish Research Council looks forward to helping shape and deliver this new strategy to maintain a vibrant research eco-system and to ensure research can respond to the big challenges of our time.

“We are delighted to have Professor Connolly and Professor Scott working with us on these important challenges.”

In announcing the new appointments, Minister Harris thanked outgoing IRC chairperson Professor Jane Ohlmeyer for her “passionate and committed service throughout her (six-year) term.”

“I look forward to appointing a new Chairperson of the Irish Research Council shortly,” he added.

(opens in a new window)UCD Professor Emma Teeling, Professor Rob Kitchin, and Professor Felicity Kelliher will also conclude their terms as members of the IRC this month, following their two three-year terms.

“I would like to thank the outgoing Council members for the positive contribution they have made to the Irish Research Council,” said Peter Brown.

“Professor Ohlmeyer along with Professor Emma Teeling, Professor Rob Kitchin and Professor Felicity Kelliher have been strong ambassadors for the Irish research and innovation system and we wish them well with their future endeavours.”

By: Staff Writers