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Monday 29 May 2017 – DIAS Press Release on Eucharia Meehan’s appointment as Registrar and CEO of DIAS and admittance to RIA

Dr Eucharia Meehan pictured with Prof. Peter Kennedy (President of the RIA)

Dr. Eucharia Meehan has been appointed as Registrar and CEO of the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS), the internationally-renowned institute for world-leading basic research and scholarship.

Dr. Meehan previously held the position of Director of the Irish Research Council, having been appointed as the inaugural leader of the organisation when it was established in 2012.

Commenting on her new role with DIAS, Dr. Meehan said: “It is a privilege to take up this appointment in an institution with such a strong international reputation for excellent work in the pursuit of new knowledge. Reflecting its roots and rich legacy, DIAS connects Ireland to international and indeed global research networks. From its inception to the present day, DIAS is a magnet for current and emerging research leaders in each of its specialised branches of knowledge.”

Professor Vincent Cunnane Chairman of DIAS said: “We are delighted to welcome an individual of such high calibre to DIAS. Eucharia has an outstanding leadership record and, importantly, has been a consistent advocate for the funding of basic research in Ireland.”

Dr. Eucharia Meehan with Prof. Dervilla Donnelly (Chair of Friends of DIAS and former Chairman of DIAS Council)

In addition to starting her new role at DIAS, Dr. Meehan was admitted as a member of the Royal Irish Academy in recent days.  She is among 18 individuals to achieve the distinction of being admitted as a member in 2017. Membership is attained by election and is considered the highest academic honour on the island of Ireland.

l-r : Prof. Liam Breatnach (DIAS School of Celtic Studies), Dr. Eucharia Meehan, Prof. Tom Ray (DIAS School of Cosmic Physics)

Dr. Meehan received this honour on foot of more than 20 years of leadership across a range of public and private research-based organisations. Prior to her role with the Irish Research Council, she was Head of Research and Innovation at the Higher Education Authority, and directed the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI), which invested €1.2bn over a decade to create the strategic research infrastructure that became the bedrock for Irish research, particularly in the higher education sector.

Further information about DIAS is available at www.dias.ie.

ENDS

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About DIAS

DIAS was established in 1940 by Taoiseach Éamon de Valera. It combines humanistic and scientific disciplines in three schools: Theoretical Physics, Celtic Studies and Cosmic Physics. The Nobel Prize winner Erwin Schrödinger was the first Director of the School of Theoretical Physics. Areas of research interest include Celtic manuscripts and texts, Celtic languages and linguistics, geological phenomenon, star formation, cosmic astrophysics, astro-particle physics, quantum information theory and condensed matter theory.

In addition to the conduct of research, DIAS mentors and trains early-stage researchers, and provides opportunities for engagement with projects and experts at the highest level. DIAS is also an academic publisher of monographs, books, and journals in Celtic Studies and on advanced scientific subjects. It conducts a range of public outreach activities, including open evenings at its Observatory in Dunsink and an extensive school programme in seismology which involves in excess of 55 schools.