Mayo native appointed chair of Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies Council
Dr. John Hegarty, a native of Claremorris and a past pupil of St. Colman's College, has been appointed as the new chair of the Council of the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS), the internationally renowned institute for world-leading basic research and scholarships. The appointment will run from now until June 2025.
Dr. Hegarty previously held the position of Provost of Trinity College Dublin following a period as Dean of Research and as Head of the Physics Department at the university.
Prior to his tenure at Trinity, he completed a postdoctoral stay at the University of Wisconsin - Madison and was a research scientist at Bell Labs, New Jersey. He has produced over 140 publications and developed several patents.
Dr. Hegarty is a member of the Royal Irish Academy and a Fellow of the Institute of Physics.
Commenting on his new role, Dr. Hegarty said: “I am delighted to have been appointed by the President of Ireland as chair of the DIAS Council. Throughout my career, I have always placed great emphasis on connections between disciplines and how they all play an equal role in our culture.
“As DIAS conducts research across a number of disciplines – from Celtic studies to cosmic physics and theoretical physics – I look forward to playing my role in continuing to champion this agenda over the coming years.
“It is a privilege to work with an institute of such a high calibre. As chair of the Council, I hope to support DIAS in advancing its connections and alliances both in Ireland and on a global stage so that it can continue to thrive as a centre of excellence for knowledge discovery and achieve new levels of success.”
Welcoming the appointment, the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris said: “I am delighted to offer my congratulations to Dr. Hegarty on his appointment and I am confident that he will support and further the work of DIAS while ensuring that the institute is governed appropriately. We have such exciting plans for DIAS over the coming years and I look forward to working with Dr. Hegarty to bring these to life.”
Dr. Eucharia Meehan, CEO and registrar of DIAS, also welcomed the appointment of Dr. Hegarty as chair of the Council: “We are delighted to welcome an individual of such high calibre to the DIAS Council. I have no doubt that with his extensive experience and track record working in the education sector and as a champion for research, Dr. Hegarty will bring very valuable insights.
“I look forward to working alongside Dr. Hegarty over the coming years as we continue to advance DIAS as a leading institution, attracting global talent and ensuring Ireland is centrally involved in ground-breaking international projects.”
The process for appointments to the DIAS Council is set out in the Institute for Advanced Studies Act 1940, with appointments made by the President of Ireland on the advice of the government.