The University of Galway has appointed Prof Laoise McNamara as its new vice president for research and innovation, effective August 2026.
McNamara has worked for the University of Galway since January 2009, when she joined as a lecturer in biomedical engineering. However, she had already held the same role from September 2005 to June 2007.
From April 2020 to June 2023, she served as the vice dean for research and innovation at the College of Science and Engineering. Since June 2023, she has been the head of the School of Engineering.
She has also served as chair of the European Research Panel Starting Grant Panel.
McNamara’s contributions to the university’s research performance, interdisciplinary collaboration, and partnerships with industry were referred to as “instrumental” in an announcement.
McNamara was previously a lecturer at the University of Southampton from June 2007 to January 2009, and had been a postdoc in the Orthopaedic Research Laboratory at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine from April 2004 to September 2005.
