The prestigious ‘2023 University of Standford list of World Top 2% of Scientists’ has recognised the major research activities and contributions of Technological University of the Shannon (TUS ) Athlone campus based Professor Neil Rowan, in his specialist subject matter disciplines from the Faculty of Science and Health.
Neil has spent over three decades advancing the field of applied microbiology to address complex challenges for society across medtech, food and the environment with a specific focus on advancing Onehealth, infection prevention, sterilization and sustainability.
Remarkably, Neil has supervised 40 PhDs to completion in these disciplines, publishing approximately 350 journal and conference papers and eight books. He holds editorial board positions to several prestigious journals worldwide including Science of the Total Environment and is an honorary Professor at several international benchmarking universities including in the School of Medicine, Nursing and Biomedical Sciences at University of Galway.
He frequently assists the European Commission in expert evaluations of high impact, high gain research proposals and has recently contributed to Science Foundations Ireland’s ‘Creating our Future’ initiative that generated over 18,000 ideas from Irish society for shaping a better world. Neil is also a Funded Investigator at the National CURAM Research Centre for Medical Device at University of Galway.
“It is very pleasing to be recognised among such a stellar list of global scientists that have contributed so much to our connected societies. I am truly delighted and humbled by this recognition. I would like to acknowledge all who have helped me with attaining this achievement along my academic journey – I am indeed very grateful,” Professor Rowan stated this week.
Dr Cormac O’Shea, Head of Department of Bioveterinary and Microbial Systems at TUS, noted the honour to be a “deserving recognition” of Professor Rowan’s esteemed reserach work.
“I am delighted for Neil. This is most deserving recognition for TUS’s top performing researcher who has demonstrated significant leadership in advancing strategic research for TUS over several years that has also informed teaching and education across many disciplines,” Dr O’Shea said.
Dr Don Faller, Dean of Faculty of Science and Health, TUS, stated that Neil arrived to the Athlone campus in 2006 with an impressive academic profile which continues to be enhanced.
“Neil came to the Athlone campus in 2006 with an impressive academic profile from the University of Strathclyde where his research was rated at the top of the scale (5* ) in the UK Research Assessment Exercise, a trend that he has maintained along with exercising a broad lens to help others. This recognition also highlights the quality of research provision underpinning integrated teaching and enterprise activities within the Faculty of Science of Health, and across our sister Faculties and campuses, which is aptly serving the region proudly with an international orientation,” Dr Faller added.
Dr Liam Brown, Vice President for Research, Development and Innovation at TUS, noted that the rankings acknowledgement was a further boost for the progressive university.
“I am delighted for Neil, his family and our progressive university. This achievement reflects the strategic ambition of TUS to take its place amongst the top-performing universities in the world through advancing fundamental and applied research with partners. This will also unlock pressing challenges and opportunities for society. Neil served as Director of the Bioscience Research Institute at TUS for 12 years with distinction where he now focuses on advancing his specialist research areas in the embedded Faculty of Science and Health. We wish Neil continued success in driving research and innovation with stakeholders that will continue to make a meaningful impact and will inform education at TUS,” Dr Brown commented.
Neil hails from Westlodge, Athlone and is son of the late Breffni and Ruth Rowan. He resides in Coosan and is married to Michelle. They have two sons, Kevin and Liam, and a daughter, Chloe. Neil was educated in the Dean Kelly National School, St Aloysius College, Athlone and thereafter the University of Galway.
