Professor Brian MacCraith

Prof. Brian MacCraith was inaugurated as President of Dublin City University (DCU) in July 2010, and will hold this position for 10 years. During his time as President, DCU has developed significantly in terms of scale, footprint, and reputation. DCU is Ireland’s fastest growing university (>50% growth since 2011), has more than 17,000 students, and added 3 campuses (DCU St. Patrick’s Campus, DCU All Hallows Campus, and DCU Alpha, the University’s Innovation Campus) in the North Dublin region since 2015. October 2016 marked the completion of a process whereby St. Patrick’s College Drumcondra, Mater Dei Institute of Education, and Church of Ireland College of Education were incorporated into DCU. This process enabled the establishment of Ireland’s first Faculty of Education (DCU Institute of Education) and also resulted in a major expansion of the University’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. DCU has also developed a significant international profile, with major academic and research partnerships across the globe, a strong reputation for innovation, and is ranked consistently as one of the world’s top young universities (QS Top 50 under 50; THE 100 under 50).

Academic & Research Profile:

Prof. MacCraith received his B.Sc. (1^st Class Hons.) in Physics at NUI, Galway, where he also completed a M.Sc. and a Ph.D. in Optical Spectroscopy of Laser Materials. In 1986 he joined the staff of DCU, where he has played an active role in the teaching of Physics and research in the areas of optical chemical sensors and biosensors, biomedical diagnostics, and nanobiophotonics. He has a substantial track record of publications and intellectual property in these areas. He was founding Director of the National Centre for Sensor Research (NCSR), established in 1999 at DCU. In 2005, he led the proposal to establish the Biomedical Diagnostics Institute (BDI), a Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Research Centre, at DCU and was appointed as its first Director. In 2010, DCU received almost €20m in funding from the HEA to establish the Nano-bio-analytical Research Facility (NRF) based on a proposal led by Prof. MacCraith.

Awards & Recognition:

Prof. MacCraith is a member of the Royal Irish Academy (RIA), a Fellow of the Institute of Physics, a Fellow of SPIE (the international Photonics Organisation), and a Fellow of the Irish Academy of Engineers. In 2014, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Massachusetts, Lowell.

National Contribution:

Prof. MacCraith has chaired two important reviews on behalf of the Irish Government: the Strategic Review of Medical Training and Career Structures (‘MacCraith Report’ published in June 2014) and the Review of STEM Education in the Irish School System (Report published in November 2016). He chairs the Board of SciFest and the Board of Trustees of Genio. He is a Board member of the following organisations: Social Entrepreneurs Ireland (SEI), the Irish Business and Employers’ Confederation (Ibec), Chamber Choir Ireland (CCI), Coolest Projects, and Ireland Smart Ageing Exchange (ISAX).