University College Cork (UCC) has announce the launch of the Sustainability Institute, to replace its previous Environmental Research Institute (ERI), first established in 2000.
According to UCC, the new identity ‘reflects an expanded and integrated vision for sustainability research that aligns with the university’s core values and ambitions’.
In a statement, UCC said that the ERI and its research has helped to advance sustainability on a local, national and international basis over the past 25 years, with the Irish university now ranked highly among international institutions for sustainability research.
The Sustainability Institute will bring together more than 400 researchers engaged in sustainability research across UCC.
‘A natural next step’
“UCC is a university of and for sustainability, committed to the stewardship of our planet,” commented Professor John O’Halloran, president of UCC. “Launching the UCC Sustainability Institute […] is a natural next step for our university.”
Professor Brian Ó Gallachóir has been appointed director of the Sustainability Institute. He added that the university’s “focus on delivering both research excellence and societal impact means that not only are research papers published in the leading international scientific journals and highly cited, we also focus on translating the research results into actionable insights to advance sustainability in Cork, in Ireland and globally.”
The Sustainability Institute forms part of UCC Futures, a university programme that focuses on building research capacity in specific fields.
‘A transformative moment’
Professor Sarah Culloty, head of UCC’s College of Science, Engineering and Food Science, added that the institute “marks a transformative moment for UCC and for sustainability research globally”.
Pictured (L-R) at the launch of the Sustainability Institute are Professor John Cryan, Vice President for Research & Innovation at UCC; Professor Brian Ó Gallachóir, Director of the Sustainability Institute; Professor John O’Halloran, President of UCC; Kevin O’ Sullivan, Environment & Science Editor with The Irish Times; Marie Donnelly, Climate Change Advisory Council; and Dr. Gillian Bruton, Chief Commercial Officer of the Sustainability Institute. Read more here.
