Our People

School Offices

• For J.E. Cairnes School of Business & Economics queries click here.
• For School of Law queries click here.
• For Shannon College of Hotel Management queries click here.

College Office

Address: College of Business, Public Policy and Law, Cairnes Building, University of Galway, Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland.

Wondering where to find us? Consult the University of Galway Interactive Campus Map

T: +353 (0)91 492988.

Executive Assistants (Job Share) 
This role provides essential support in managing administrative tasks for CBPPL's PGR programs, assisting with admissions, registration, curriculum updates, data management and reporting, scholarships, committee secretarial duties, recruitment coordination, funding calls, procurement, and conferring support.

Olivia Noone & Sinead Hernon 
cbppl@universityofgalway.ie

Administrative Assistant 
For queries related to the Executive Dean's diary

Mary O'Malley

mary.m.omalley@universityofgalway.ie

Director of Strategic Development
Padraic De Búrca
padraic.deburca@universityofgalway.ie
T: +353 (0)91 494051.

Finance and Business Manager
Michelle Bermingham
michelle.bermingham@universityofgalway.ie

Head of Strategic Research Awards Life Cycle

Leading the CBPPL Research Support Team with oversight of research funding strategies and proposal supports across the College at all career stages. Assistance with research funding at the planning, budgeting, application, implementation and impact phases.

Jared Gerlach
jared.gerlach@universityofgalway.ie

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Development Officer

Angela Sice
angela.sice@universityofgalway.ie

Learning Technologist

Dr Sergei Medvedev

sergei.medvedev@universityofgalway.ie

Communications Officer
Meadhbh McNutt
meadhbh.mcnutt@universityofgalway.ie

HR Business Partner
Anne Kyne
ann.kyne@universityofgalway.ie

Executive Dean

Professor Geraint Howells

geraint.howells@universityofgalway.ie

Geraint Howells is Executive Dean for Business, Public Policy and Law at University of Galway. Previously he was Professor of Commercial Law and Associate Dean in Humanities for Internationalisation at Manchester University, where he remains a Visiting Professor. He has been Dean of Law at the City University of Hong Kong and Head of the Law Schools in Manchester and Lancaster. His first chair was at Sheffield. He was called to the bar in 2002 through a special route for distinguished academics and was awarded an LLD in 2014. He has published extensively on consumer law, product liability and European private law and was a member of the Acquis Group developing common principles of European contract law and tort law. A former President of the International Association of Consumer Law, he edited the Consumer Law Journal for many years, is on the editorial board of the Journal of Consumer Policy and is Series Editor for Routledge’s Markets and Law series. He has undertaken extensive consultancy for government, the EU and NGOs.

Vice Deans

Vice Dean for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Dr Deirdre Curran
deirdre.curran@universityofgalway.ie

Dr Deirdre Curran has been employed as a lecturer in the University of Galway for 25 years. Her main area of teaching surrounds the employment relationship, how it is formed, how it is conducted, and how it might be improved, and her work is informed by her core values of justice, equity, and voice.

Deirdre is a Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and she also represents the College of Business, Public Policy, and Law, as a Steering Committee member for the University of Sanctuary initiative aimed at making the university a welcome place for refugees, asylum-seekers, and members of our travelling community.

In 2012 Deirdre completed the PG Diploma in mediation at Maynooth University, and she has been involved in mediation research ever since. She was one of the founder members of the Kennedy Institute Workplace Mediation Research Group. (www.kiwmrg.ie)

Deirdre is currently involved in researching the lived experience of hospitality workers in Ireland with a view to highlighting issues and promoting positive change. In 2021 she published a research report entitled ‘Inside Out Hospitality’. http://whitakerinstitute.ie/inside-out-hospitality-a-study-of-working-conditions-in-the-hospitality-sector-in-ireland/. The survey Deirdre designed for this research has been replicated in a number of countries worldwide and has led to the formation of the Global Hospitality Research Alliance [GHRA].

Vice Dean for Graduate Studies
Dr John Cullinan
john.cullinan@universityofgalway.ie

Dr John Cullinan is a Professor of Economics at J.E. Cairnes School of Business & Economics and Director of the Centre for Economic Research on Inclusivity and Sustainability (CERIS). John has a long-standing interest in and commitment to graduate studies. He previously served as Director of the PhD Programme in Economics and was a member of the Economics PhD Committee for several years. He also has extensive experience of PhD student supervision and mentorship and in 2022 was awarded the University of Galway President’s Award for Excellence in Research Supervision. He has organised and participated in numerous workshops, conferences, training events and mentoring schemes supporting graduate students. 

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Vice Dean for Internationalisation
Dr Murray Scott
murray.scott@universityofgalway.ie

Dr Murray Scott is currently Vice Dean of Internationalisation for the College of Business, Public Policy and Law.  He has also served as Head of Discipline for Business Information Systems and also as programme director for the MSc in Business Information Systems/Cloud Computing Research and B.Sc Business Information Systems.  He holds a Bachelor and Masters degree in English and Philosophy from the University of Dundee and completed the Higher Diploma in Systems Analysis and Masters in Commerce from University of Galway.  He was awarded a Ph.D. in the area of eGovernment and Public Value from University of Galway.  Murray has over 18 years of experience in the academic environment, and has previously served as visiting Professor at the Kogod School of Business, American University, Washington DC and as external examiner for Dublin City University.

Murray's research has been published in leading international journals and conferences, including the AIS Senior Scholars' Basket of Journals.  His current research addresses environmental and sustainability challenges by developing innovative technology-driven models for participative, user-centred, public services aiming at creating greener communities e.g.:  https://emergreen.interreg-npa.eu/about-the-project/ 

Vice Dean for Teaching and Learning
Dr Michael Lang
michael.lang@universityofgalway.ie

Dr Michael Lang is an Associate Professor in Business Information Systems within J.E. Cairnes School of Business & Economics, where he has worked since 1996. Over the years, he has made a very substantial input to the growth of the Business Information Systems discipline along with making several valuable and enduring contributions to organisational systems, policies and strategic initiatives at School and University level. Michael is also the recipient of numerous teaching awards at University and College level. In the past he served as Associate Head of Teaching and Learning within his School as well as holding the programme directorships of a number of programmes.

Vice Dean for Research
Prof Esther Tippmann
esther.tippmann@universityofgalway.ie

Professor Esther Tippmann is Professor of Strategy at J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics. She is looking forward to working with colleagues to further advance the research supports and research culture in the College to deliver on excellence in research and impact. Serving as Head of Discipline, Esther brings a grass-root level understanding of the internal research environment. Her international experience complements this with an understanding of approaches and standards from other leading schools and colleges. In terms of her scholarly profile, Esther is an internationally recognized expert in Global Strategy. She has published repeatedly in world-elite and internationally leading journals of her field, serves as Area Editor of the Journal of International Business Studies (ABS 4*, FT 50) and as Chair of the Global Strategy Interest Group at the Strategic Management Society. She held a Marie-Curie Followship and is a cofounder and codirector of the Centre for Entrepreneurial Growth and Scaling (CEGS).