Professor Paul McCabe - Dean of Graduate Studies
Professor McCabe is the UCD Dean of Graduate Studies and was appointed in May 2022. He joined the School of Biology and Environmental Science in 2000 and served as Head of the Plant Biology degree programme from 2009 to 2019. Having graduated with a BSc, he was then awarded a PhD from Maynooth University, and undertook research in Szeged Biological Research Centre, Michigan State University, University College London, and the University of Oxford.
Both an active researcher and supervisor, his field of research is in plant physiology and development focussing on programmed cell death, and the biotechnology of medicinal products from plants. In 2016 he led a team that designed and created an evolution garden for use as an outdoor classroom. The ‘Evolution Garden’, now a permanent installation on the Belfield campus, received a gold medal for design and ‘best in show’ for concept at the Bord Bia Bloom Festival. For his innovative teaching Professor McCabe received a College of Science Teaching Excellence Award in 2018.
As Dean of Graduate Studies, Professor McCabe works with his team to ensure that UCD's structured PhDs align with the National Framework for Doctoral Education so that robust quality assurance is integral to UCD's doctoral education. He also oversees UCD's ‘Research Supervisor Support and Development Programme’, a programme designed for faculty to enhance the quality of their supervision in line with international best practice.