Linda Doyle will today take up office to become Trinity’s first female provost.
Nearly five months after she was elected, the professor of engineering and arts takes over from Patrick Prendergast from August 1st.
Doyle comes into the role after serving as Trinity’s Dean of Research. Previously, she served as the founder and director of the Trinity CONNECT Centre, which brings together expertise from 10 Irish institutions to produce telecommunications research and innovation.
A native of co. Cork, she received her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from University College Cork, before completing a master’s degree and PhD at Trinity. Her research has focussed on wireless communications, reconfigurable networks and creative arts practices.
Doyle ran on a platform asking voters to “Imagine Trinity” in 2031, the year her provostship would end.
One key manifesto pledge for this future College was to create a “re-energised democracy”, promising to “bring clarity to decision making”. During the provostial hustings, Doyle discussed detailed plans aiming to redistribute provostial power including by introducing an independent chair of College Board.
Doyle also campaigned for a “climate-first Trinity”. She has often explained this emphasis on the environment as partially inspired by students who care deeply about sustainability.
This week, Doyle fulfilled a campaign promise by announcing she would be appointing a Vice-President for Biodiversity and Climate Action.
In an interview with Silicon Republic, Doyle said the position “is not just going to be about the symbolism,” adding, “It’s also going to be about deeper, more practical actions on the ground.”
“A lot of staff and students in Trinity are not really happy with the steps that we’re taking to address things to do with biodiversity and climate change.”
“I think there’s a genuine realisation that more needs to be done, it needs to be taken more seriously and continuing as we are won’t work.”
Earlier this month, outgoing Provost Patrick Prendergast announced that Prof Orla Shields will be nominated as Doyle’s Vice-Provost.
Sheils is the current dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and was the founding director of the Trinity Translational Medicine Institute (TTMI). She is a professor of molecular diagnostics.
After completing a master’s degree in Medical Law and Ethics at King’s College London, Sheils pursued a PhD in Molecular Pathology at Trinity College. She has been an independent investigator since 2001 and has supervised 24 students to PhD level.
