GMIT has announced the appointment of Professor Neville McClenaghan to the post of Vice President, GMIT Mayo campus. Professor McClenaghan comes to GMIT from the University of Ulster where he held a number of rolesincluding Course Director of the B.Sc. (Hons ) Biomedical Science, Head of School of Biomedical Sciences (2007-2017 ), Professor of Bio-innovation and Enterprise (since 2009 ), and member of the Senate.
Prior to joining Ulster University, he held research positions in the University of Uppsala, Sweden, and Hannover Medical School in Germany, with long-standing interest and expertise in fundamental and translational diabetes research.
Professor McClenaghan is a recipient of numerous awards including: University of Ulster Distinguished Research Fellowship Award; The Physiological Society Sharpey-Schafer Prize and Lecture; University of Ulster Distinguished Business Fellowship Award; Coleraine Borough Chamber Innovation in Business Award; and European ACES Academic Enterprise Award for Innovation in Life Sciences.
He has maintained an active international research profile in experimental diabetes research, with interests most recently extending into cystic fibrosis-related diabetes; and core membership since establishment of Ulster’s internationally renowned Biomedical Sciences Research Institute (BMSR ).
Professor McClenaghan maintains strong personal interest in Learning & Teaching and Research & Development having supported and helped drive engagement in multi-disciplinary academic enterprise activities, including author of patents and over 188 publications. He is a personal advocate for entrepreneurship and professional practice, academic enterprise, bio-industrial science, business/civic outreach and engagement, and regional development.
Dr Michael Hannon, deputising President of GMIT, welcoming the appointment of Professor McClenaghan, says: “This appointment completes one of the three key recommendations in the HEA working group report ‘Developing a Sustainable Plan for the Mayo campus’. Other key recommendations have also been implemented, such as the establishment of a dedicated sub-committee of the Governing Body with responsibility for the Mayo campus, and the appointment of a facilitator (Kieran Mulvey ) to oversee the transition to a new governance model for the campus and interim Head of campus (Dr Richard Thorn ).
Dr Hannon says “We look forward to working with and supporting Professor McClenaghan and together with all the staff at the Mayo campus steering a new direction for the sustainability and viability of the campus.”
Professor McClenaghan is expected to take up the post of Vice President in early February.
