Professor Alma McCarthy is the new Executive Dean at the College of Business, Public Policy and Law at University of Galway.
The College comprises the School of Law, the JE Cairnes School of Business and Economics, and Shannon College of Hotel Management.
The first female academic to hold the role at the head of the faculty, Professor McCarthy will take up the post on March 1 for a four-year term.
Professor McCarthy has been Dean of the JE Cairnes School of Business and Economics at University of Galway since 2021.
She is Professor of Public Sector Management and her research interests include public sector leadership and human resource development, training, work-life balance, and remote working.
The Professor spearheaded the remote working surveys during the Covid pandemic, with the support of the Western Development Commission, generating the first and earliest insights into employee attitudes to the sudden and large-scale shift to working from home and out of the office.
Her research has influenced national civil service talent development policy and the Government's national remote working strategy.
"I am honoured to be appointed to the Executive Dean role and look forward to building on the long-established success of the three Schools in the College of Business Public Policy & Law at University of Galway," Professor McCarthy said.
"Working with a strong team of colleagues in the College, we will continue to adapt to the changing needs of the economy and society to design and deliver excellent education in business, law and hotel management and continue to engage in relevant and impactful research," she said.
"External stakeholder engagement and impact on policy will also be a key priority for the College in its new strategic plan," she added.
Meanwhile, a new Vice President Research and Innovation has been appointed at University of Limerick.
Acting UL President Professor Shane Kilcommins confirmed the appointment of Professor Kevin M Ryan as Vice President Research and Innovation at UL.
In his role, Professor Ryan will provide leadership in the formulation, development and delivery of the University's research policy, strategy and support services.
He will be responsible for the research function of the University of Limerick, including research support services, doctoral college, related enterprise and commercialisation of the university's research, while providing the platform for its researchers to contribute to the discovery of new knowledge for a better world.
Professor Ryan is Director of the Bernal Institute and holds a Personal Chair in Chemical Nanotechnology at the Department of Chemical Sciences in the Faculty of Science and Engineering at UL.
He is the lead investigator of AMPEiRE, the National Rechargeable Battery Fabrication and Test Facility, which is strategically positioned to be the European focal point for pioneering research in next generation batteries.
"It is a privilege to take up the role of Vice President Research and Innovation at University of Limerick," Professor Ryan said.
"My focus will be on empowering our researchers to generate new innovations and discoveries with lasting impact," he said.
"I look forward to engaging with the University community to deliver on our research agenda, grow our principal investigator base from existing and incoming academic staff and research fellows and position UL as internationally leading, with critical mass in key research areas with capability to tackle challenges of global significance," he added.
