Professor appointed Director General of Science Foundation Ireland

Mark Ferguson, Honorary Professor in The University of Manchester’s Faculty of Life Sciences and former Dean, has been appointed Director General of Science Foundation Ireland (SFI).

Based in Dublin, SFI invests in fundamental world-class research in areas of strategic importance to the Irish economy, currently: Biotechnology, Information and Communication Technologies, Sustainable Energy and Energy Efficient Technologies.

Since its foundation in 2000, SFI has invested €1.4 billion in quality research projects and currently funds more than 900 active research projects and a community of 3,000 researchers.

The Director General of SFI plays a leading role in the formulation and implementation of science policy in Ireland, is a key advisor to the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) and other Ministers on science matters and manages the operations of the agency, the investments it makes and ensures that Ireland continues to be a competitive location for knowledge-based enterprise.

Professor Ferguson, who retains his Honorary Chair at The University of Manchester, said: “I relish the challenge of realising SFI’s vision that Ireland will be a global knowledge leader that places scientific and engineering research at the core of its society to power economic development and social progress.”