Trinity Academics Honoured with Royal Irish Academy Membership

Posted on: 09 June 2015

Three Trinity College Dublin academics were among 19 newly elected members of the Royal Irish Academy who signed the members book on Friday 29th May in recognition of their world-class contribution to science and the humanities.  The new Trinity members are Professor David Coleman, Professor Jonathan Coleman and Professor Orla Hardiman.

Professor Mary E. Daly, President of the Royal Irish Academy, said that all those elected "have made world renowned contributions to research in the sciences or humanities…Irish scholars are highly sought after and are increasingly being head-hunted for top positions in leading universities and research centres throughout the world".

David Coleman is Professor and Chair of Oral and Applied Microbiology at the School of Dental Science. He is one of the leading clinical microbiologists practising today internationally and has made seminal contributions to our understanding of the pathogenic yeast Candida dubliniensis (which he discovered), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and the biology of bacteriophages, the viruses that infect bacteria.

Jonathan Nesbit Coleman is Professor of Chemical Physics, a lead PI in the SFI-funded AMBER Centre and a coordinator of the EU-funded Graphene Project. He is among the top-100 cited material scientists of the last decade and is internationally recognised for his contributions to the processing of nanoscale materials and devices and the application of these innovations to industry.

Orla Hardiman is Professor of Neurology and Academic Director of the Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute; she is also Consultant Neurologist at Beaumont Hospital. She leads a multidisciplinary group of over 30 researchers investigating the epidemiology and causes of, and new treatments for, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Professor Hardiman has a strong international reputation, attested to by a number of honours and awards, and is an effective and committed advocate for patients with neurodegenerative conditions.

2015 is the 230th anniversary of the Royal Irish Academy—Ireland’s leading body of experts in the sciences and humanities. Since its foundation in 1785, membership of the RIA has been keenly competed for, as it is the highest academic honour in Ireland. Those elected use the designation ‘MRIA’ after their name.