We are delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Willie Donnelly as Acting Director of Research, Development, and Innovation. Professor Donnelly joins the THEA team on an interim basis until May 2023.
Professor Donnelly was appointed President of Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) in April 2015, having held the position of Head of Research and Innovation at the Institute for the previous 10 years. He is founder of the Telecommunications Software and Systems Group (TSSG) which carries out research into mobile services, internet of things and communications management. Prior to entering academia Prof Donnelly worked for 15 years in the telecommunications and utilities industries.
Professor Donnelly stated: “I am delighted to take up the position of Director of Research, Development, and Innovation at THEA. We as a sector are proud of our leadership role in the economic and social development of our regions. The creation of Technological Universities is transformative and adds new impetus to that commitment. The sector has the capacity, vision, and leadership to accelerate regional economic and social transformation through its research, innovation, and graduate training. It is a privilege to work with the sector to articulate that vision and to build the investment and support infrastructures that will deliver that transformation.”
Commenting on his appointment, Dr Joseph Ryan, Chief Executive of THEA said “We are delighted to appoint someone with such a distinguished and notable career to our senior team. Professor Donnelly brings a wealth of experience to the table, not just from his academic research, but his commercial experience and his time leading major HEA-funded and SFI-funded national projects. His international experience as a member of the European "Research, Innovation, and Science Policy Experts" (RISE) high level group (HLG) gives him a strategic perspective, which will be much valued by our colleagues. We look forward to working with Professor Donnelly over the next six months.”
For more information, please contact:
Róisín O'Connell, Head of Communications, THEA: (087) 9193333; roisin.oconnell@thea.ie
