The Minister for Skills, Research and Innovation, Damien English, TD has appointed Trinity Professor Jane Ohlmeyer to be the new Chair of the Irish Research Council.
Ohlmeyer will serve in the position for three years while continuing her work in own work in Trinity’s Department of History and as the Director of the Trinity Long Room Hub.
In an interview with The University Times Ohlmeyer stated she was “delighted” with the appointment, adding that it was a “big challenge”. In terms of her plans for the role she stated she would “love, over my three years, for a very very significantly increased investment in the young people in Ireland, particularly postgraduate students and also in postdoctoral awards that allow those postgraduates to get their foot on the career ladder. I think that’s extremely important. It’s extremely important for the whole future of the country.”
In a press statement Provost Patrick Prendergast congratulated Professor Ohlmeyer on her appointment, stating: “It is a great honour for one of our academics to have achieved this position.”
Ohlmeyer, the Erasmus Smith’s Professor of Modern History at Trinity College Dublin, played a major role in establishing the Long Room Hub, of which she is currently the Director, and the 1641 Deposition Project. She ran for Provost in 2011, losing to Prendergast, and was the founding Vice-Provost for Global Relations from 2011-2014.
The Irish Research Council aims to address multi-disciplinary skill and research needs within Irish society, primarily by funding early career researchers. Ohlmeyer replaces the outgoing Chair, Professor Orla Feely of UCD.
Joining Ohlmeyer as a new appointment to the Council is Trinity Professor Eithne McCabe of the School of Physics, as well as four other Irish academics from various backgrounds.
