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An tOllamh David J. Burn, Leas-Seansailéir Ionaid Dhámh na nEolaíochtaí Leighis, Ollscoil Newcastle, le tosú ar a théarma i mí Mheán Fómhair 2025. D’fhógair Ollscoil na Gaillimhe inniu gurb é an tOllamh David J. Burn an 14ú hUachtarán atá á cheapadh ar an Ollscoil le héifeacht ón 8 Meán Fómhair 2025. Tiocfaidh an tOllamh Burn i gcomharbacht ar an Ollamh Peter McHugh a raibh an post aige ar bhonn eatramhach ó Mheán Fómhair 2024. Bhí an tOllamh Burn ina Leas-Seansailéir Ionaid ar Dhámh na nEolaíochtaí Leighis, Ollscoil Newcastle ó 2017 i leith, áit a raibh sé i gceannas ar mhórthionscnaimh athruithe a bhain le hathstruchtúrú na foirne teagaisc, luas a chur faoi fheidhmíocht taighde, comhionannas, éagsúlacht agus cuimsiú a chur chun cinn agus borradh a chur faoin idirnáisiúnú. Is Ollamh le Néareolaíocht Neamhord Gluaiseachta agus Néareolaí Comhairleach Oinigh d’Iontaobhas NHS Ospidéil Newcastle upon Tyne é David chomh maith.    Tá an tOllamh Burn ina Stiúrthóir ar Chomhpháirtíocht Taighde Sláinte Newcastle, arb Ionad Acadúil Eolaíochta Sláinte í, a bhíonn ag obair chun sláinte agus folláine breis is trí mhilliún duine atá ina gcónaí in Oirthuaisceart Shasana agus i dTuaisceart Cumbria a fheabhsú. Is é an tOllamh Burn an tUachtarán tofa ar an gCumann Idirnáisiúnta Parkinson agus Neamhord Gluaiseachta chomh maith. Tosóidh David ina phost nua mar Uachtarán ar an 8 Meán Fómhair 2025, arb é an chéad lá den téarma nua é, agus na mílte mac léinn ag filleadh ar an Ollscoil don bhliain acadúil nua. Ag labhairt di faoin gceapachán, bhí an méid seo le rá ag an Dr Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, Cathaoirleach Údarás na hOllscoile: “Tar éis próiseas measúnaithe a bhí dian agus iomaíoch, tá áthas orm a fhógairt go bhfuil an tOllamh David Burn ceaptha ina chéad Uachtarán eile ar Ollscoil na Gaillimhe. Tá neart taithí ag an Ollamh Burn i gceannaireacht Ollscoile agus cúraim sláinte agus tá fís láidir curtha i láthair aige chun foireann agus mic léinn Ollscoil na Gaillimhe a spreagadh le go rachaidh an Ollscoil ar leith seo ó neart go neart. Tá dea-theist ar an Ollamh Burn go hidirnáisiúnta ó thaobh ceannaireachta agus a bhfuil bainte amach aige, agus tá an taithí agus an fhís aige atá riachtanach le tabhairt faoin ról seo. Tá mé ag súil le bheith ag obair leis agus muid ag cur tús le caibidil nua in aistear na hOllscoile. “Ba mhaith liom fíorbhuíochas a chur in iúl d’Uachtarán Eatramhach na hOllscoile, an tOllamh Peter McHugh, as an gceannaireacht stuama atá léirithe aige le bliain anuas, agus guím gach rath air amach anseo.” Ag labhairt dó faoina cheapachán, bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag an Ollamh David J. Burn: “Tá an-áthas orm, agus is mór an onóir dom a bheith ceaptha mar an chéad Uachtarán eile ar Ollscoil na Gaillimhe.  Bíodh is gur rugadh agus gur tógadh in Oirthuaisceart Shasana mé, tá nasc láidir pearsanta agam le hÉirinn le breis agus 35 bliain agus tá seantaithí agam ar a hoidhreacht shaibhir agus a cultúr bríomhar.  Tá mé ag súil le bheith ag obair as lámha a chéile le comhaltaí foirne agus le mic léinn chun lánacmhainneacht Ollscoil na Gaillimhe a bhaint amach, agus tá mé ar bís faoinar féidir linn a bhaint amach le chéile.” Críoch Ceisteanna ó na meáin chuig pressoffice@universityofgalway.ie 

University of Galway today announced that Professor David J. Burn has been appointed the 14th President of the University with effect from the 8th of September 2025. Professor Burn will succeed Professor Peter McHugh who has held the position on an interim basis since September 2024. Professor Burn has served as Pro-Vice Chancellor of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University since 2017, where he led transformative change initiatives to restructure faculty, accelerate research performance, advance equality, diversity and inclusion and drive internationalisation. David is also Professor of Movement Disorders Neurology and Honorary Consultant Neurologist for Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust.    Professor Burn serves as Director of an Academic Health Science Centre, the Newcastle Health Research Partnership, which works to deliver improvements to health and wellbeing for the over three million people living in the Northeast of England and North Cumbria. Professor Burn is also President-elect of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. David will take up his position as President on the first day of the new term on the 8th of September 2025, joining the many thousands of students returning for the new academic year. Speaking about the appointment, Dr Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, Chair of Údarás na hOllscoile, University of Galway’s Governing Authority, said: “Following a rigorous and competitive assessment process, I am delighted to announce the appointment of Professor David Burn as the next President of University of Galway. Professor Burn brings a wealth of experience in University and health care leadership and presents a compelling vision to inspire University of Galway’s staff and students to take this remarkable University to new heights. With a track record of leadership and achievement internationally, Professor Burn brings both the necessary experience and vision to this role and I look forward to working with him as we begin a new chapter in the University’s journey. “I would also like to express my sincere thanks to Interim President, Professor Peter McHugh, for his steady leadership of the University over the last year and to wish him well in his future endeavours.” Commenting on his appointment, Professor David J. Burn said: “I am delighted and honoured to have been appointed as the next President of University of Galway. Although born and bred in the Northeast of England, I have had a strong personal connection to Ireland for over 35 years and am therefore no stranger to its rich heritage and vibrant culture. I look forward to working with all staff and students to help University of Galway further realise its incredible potential and am excited about what we can achieve together.” Ends Media queries to pressoffice@universityofgalway.ie

A research team from University of Galway has captured a rarely observed ocean mixing process during an expedition to the Greenland Sea, a finding that could improve our understanding of Arctic climate change. The research team spent several weeks at sea during the summer of 2023 aboard the Marine Institute’s research vessel RV Celtic Explorer, carrying out surface ocean measurements in one of the most remote and climate sensitive parts of the world. The team focused on a phenomenon known as cabbeling. This process involves the temperature and salinity (concentration of salt) in the ocean, which together make up the ocean density. Cabbeling occurs when two water masses with different temperatures and salinities, but the same density, are mixed together. The result is a denser mixture than either of the original water masses, a consequence of the non-linear behaviour of seawater. This denser mixture then sinks, triggering turbulence and vertical mixing. Cabbeling has important implications for melting Arctic sea ice as it can increase the amount of heat from below to the ocean surface. The study has been published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans. To observe the cabbeling process, the team deployed a robotic instrument known as the Air-Sea Interaction Profiler (ASIP), which is a unique instrument specifically designed to study small-scale processes at the ocean surface. The ASIP is 2.8 metres in length, weighs about 90 kilograms, and is completely autonomous. Repeated dives and ascents by the robotic instrument carry its sensors through the upper 100 meters of the upper ocean, making fine-scale physical measurements including turbulence, temperature, and salinity. The results have implications for improving scientists’ understanding of cabbeling and its potential role in models of sea surface warming and Arctic ice loss, particularly as climate patterns shift. The Greenland Sea is expected to experience increased freshwater outflow from melting ice in a warmer climate, altering the regional dynamics. Understanding and incorporating the effects of cabbeling will enhance the accuracy of predictions of ocean heat transport, especially in polar regions where warming is accelerating and sea ice is in decline. The study was led by PhD candidate Kevin McGraw, Professor Audrey Morley and Professor Brian Ward from University of Galway, and took place along the East Greenland Polar Front, an area where cold, fresh Arctic water meets warmer, saltier Atlantic water.             Kevin McGraw, PhD candidate at the School of Natural Sciences, University of Galway, said: “Cabbeling is rarely observed because it is sporadic and short-lived, with its intensity and reach varying across Polar Regions. Our underwater robotic platform, Air-Sea Interaction Profiler, is a unique instrument designed specifically to study the upper ocean without interference from the ship. Because it can capture rapid changes on the scale of seconds to minutes, it allowed the team to detect cabbeling in action which would have been nearly impossible with conventional methods.”             Professor Audrey Morley, Professor of Marine Geology at the School of Geography and Archaeology, University of Galway, said: “The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is a system of ocean currents that circulates water within the Atlantic Ocean, bringing warm water north and cold water south thereby distributing heat around the globe. Density gradients have been identified as a main driver of the AMOC, which may be altered by high-latitude cabbeling in a warming ocean. This suggests that the cabbeling effect needs to be considered to explain past and future AMOC variability.”             Professor Brian Ward, Professor of Ocean Physics at the School of Natural Sciences, University of Galway, said: “These observations are a good example of the subtle processes associated with climate change and how small-scale processes can have broader implications. New methods of detection, such as the Air-Sea Interaction Profiler instrument, are required to fully understand the coupled ocean-atmosphere system.” The research highlights the importance of combining innovative ocean technology with field observations to improve our understanding of fine scale mixing processes that shapes regional and global climate patterns. The full study is available to read here: https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JC022567. Ends Media queries to pressoffice@universityofgalway.ie