Tá ceapachán an Ollaimh Peter McHugh mar Uachtarán Eatramhach deimhnithe ag Údarás na hOllscoile in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe. Tagann an deimhniú sna sála ar fhógra an 26 Meitheamh a thug le fios go raibh an cinneadh glactha ag an Ollamh Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh éirí as mar Uachtarán. Tá an tOllamh McHugh ag feidhmiú mar Uachtarán Ionaid agus Meabhránaí faoi láthair agus rachaidh sé i mbun ról an Uachtaráin Eatramhaigh i Meán Fómhair 2024. Dúirt Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, Cathaoirleach Údarás na hOllscoile: “Thar ceann Údarás na hOllscoile, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh cheapachán an Ollaimh Peter McHugh mar Uachtarán Eatramhach agus guím gach rath air sa ról sin. Beidh an tOllamh McHugh i gceannas ar an Ollscoil ag am ina mbeidh an iomaí dúshlán roimh an earnáil, ach tá seasamh láidir againn chomh maith agus muid ag díriú ar an todhchaí.”             Dúirt an tOllamh McHugh: “Is mór an onóir domsa a bheith ceaptha mar Uachtarán Eatramhach ar Ollscoil na Gaillimhe agus ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil le baill Údarás na hOllscoile as a dtacaíocht. Ba mhaith liom freisin buíochas a ghabháil leis an Uachtarán atá ag dul as oifig, an tOllamh Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, as an tsárobair atá déanta aige, as a thiomantas do luachanna na hOllscoile mar atá meas, oscailteacht, barr feabhais agus inbhuanaitheacht le sé bliana anuas, agus as lámh a bheith aige in institiúid den scoth a dhéanamh d’Ollscoil na Gaillimhe. "Táim ag súil go mór le forbairt a dhéanamh ar an iliomad éachtaí de chuid na hOllscoile. Beidh mé ag díriú ar an gcáil idirnáisiúnta atá orainn as barr feabhais sa teagasc, san fhoghlaim, sa taighde agus sa nuálaíocht a neartú agus a fhorbairt, ar ár ndícheall a dhéanamh chun an t-eispéireas mac léinn is fearr a bhaint amach, agus ar an bhfoireann a chumasú le héachtaí a bhaint amach.” Thosaigh an tOllamh McHugh ag obair san Ollscoil in 1991 agus ceapadh é mar chéad Ollamh Bunaithe le hInnealtóireacht Bhithleighis in 2007. Tá tréimhsí caite aige roimhe seo mar Dhéan ar Choláiste na hInnealtóireachta agus na hIonformaitice, mar Cheann Scoile na hInnealtóireachta agus na hIonformaitice, agus mar Cheann Scoile na hInnealtóireachta. Faoina stiúir mar Cheann Scoile, d’fhorbair Scoil na hInnealtóireachta a plean gnímh don chomhionannas inscne, agus de bharr na réamhoibre seo, bhain an scoil Gradam Airgid Athena SWAN amach in 2022, arb í an chéad Scoil Innealtóireachta in Éirinn ar éirigh léi an t-aitheantas sin a bhaint amach. Ghlac an tOllamh McHugh le ról an Uachtaráin Ionaid agus Meabhránaí i mBealtaine 2024. Tá aitheantas idirnáisiúnta tuillte aige mar cheannaire taighde san innealtóireacht bhithleighis agus cuid mhór taighde déanta aige ar bhunfhorbairtí agus ar fheidhmeanna modhanna ríomhaireachtúla agus turgnamhacha sa bhithmheicnic, i meicnic fíochán agus in ionchlannáin agus feistí leighis. Bhí sé ina cheannródaí i bhforbairt na hinnealtóireachta bithleighis in Éirinn agus go hidirnáisiúnta, agus ba é Stiúrthóir bunaidh an Ionaid Taighde Bithmheicnice (BioMEC) in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe é. Tá lear mór dámhachtainí bronnta ar an Ollamh McHugh, agus san áireamh orthu sin tá ballraíocht in Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann (2011), Bonn Airgid Acadamh Ríoga an Leighis in Éirinn – an Rannóg Bithinnealtóireachta (2011), Ainmní an Uachtaráin do Chomhaltacht Innealtóirí na hÉireann (2009), Comhaltacht Acadamh Innealtóireachta na hÉireann (2019) agus Comhaltacht Alexander von Humboldt (1995). Tá tréimhsí caite aige chomh maith i róil oifigigh in Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann, arb é an ról is déanaí a bhí aige Rúnaí ar Pholasaí agus Caidrimh Idirnáisiúnta, áit a raibh sé ina ionadaí Éireannach do roinnt eagraíochtaí acadúla idirnáisiúnta, lena n-áirítear Comhairle Chomhairleach Eolaíochta Acadaimh na hEorpa (EASAC). Críoch

University of Galway’s Governing Authority - Údarás na hOllscoile has confirmed the appointment of Professor Peter McHugh as Interim President. The confirmation follows the announcement on June 26th that Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh had taken the decision to step down as President. Professor McHugh is currently serving as Deputy President and Registrar and will take up the role of Interim President in September 2024. Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, Chair of the University’s Governing Authority, said: “On behalf of the University of Galway Governing Authority, I would like to welcome Professor Peter McHugh’s appointment as Interim President and wish him every success in the role. Professor McHugh will be leading the University at a time which is not without sectoral challenges, but while we are positioned strongly for the future.”             Professor McHugh said: “I am very honoured to be appointed Interim President of University of Galway and I wish to thank members of Údarás na hOllscoile for their support. I also want to thank the outgoing President, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, for his outstanding work, his commitment to the University’s values of respect, openness, excellence and sustainability over the past six years, and for helping to make University of Galway the world-class institution it is today. “I am very much looking forward to building on the University’s many achievements. My focus will be on strengthening and building upon our international reputation for excellence in teaching, learning, research and innovation, on striving for the very best student experience, and on empowering our staff to achieve.” Professor McHugh joined the University in 1991 and was appointed as the first Established Professor of Biomedical Engineering in 2007. He has previously served as Dean of College of Engineering and Informatics, Head of School of Engineering and Informatics, and Head of School of Engineering. Under his leadership as Head of School, the School of Engineering developed its gender equality action plan, and building on this groundwork, the school went on to achieve the Athena SWAN Silver Award in 2022, the first School of Engineering in Ireland to achieve the recognition. Professor McHugh took up the role of Deputy President and Registrar in May 2024. He is an internationally recognised research leader in biomedical engineering and his research is focused on fundamental developments and applications of computational and experimental methods in biomechanics, tissue mechanics and medical implants and devices. He has been a pioneer in the development of biomedical engineering in Ireland and internationally, and he was the founding Director of the Biomechanics Research Centre (BioMEC) at University of Galway. Professor McHugh has received numerous awards, including membership of the Royal Irish Academy (2011), the Silver Medal of the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland - Section of Bioengineering (2011), the Presidential Nominee Fellowship of Engineers Ireland (2009), Fellowship of the Irish Academy of Engineering (2019), and the Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship (1995). He has also served in officer roles in the Royal Irish Academy, most recently as Secretary for Policy and International Relations where he was the Irish representative to several international academy organisations, including the European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC). Ends

University of Galway has heralded the achievement of student golfer Liam Nolan who has secured his place to play as an amateur in The Open. Liam Nolan has just completed his final year in Biomedical Engineering and is a University of Galway Sport Scholar, supported by the High Performance Unit. He will play in The Open at Royal Troon - one of the sport’s majors - from July 18, lining up against some of the world’s best golfers after securing qualification by finishing 5-under at Dundonald Links in Scotland. University of Galway Dean of Students, Professor Ciara Meehan, said: “On behalf of our University community, I’d like to send a message of congratulations and wish Liam Nolan the very best for The Open. Our University takes great delight and a deep sense of pride in celebrating the achievements of our students, as well as our staff, whether that’s in sporting success or studies, their research, their community or volunteering work or competing, as Liam is, at the top of their game on a world stage. We look forward to Liam being an inspiration for many more sporting achievements at the University in the year ahead.” Liam Nolan said: “I’m thrilled to have a golf game which is strong enough to book a place at The Open in Troon. I am looking forward to being on the course, to enjoying the whole experience of the major and to competing with some of the best golfers in the world. To be one of only a handful of amateurs to get a chance to compete in one of golf’s majors is an achievement in itself, and I am so looking forward to teeing it up.”  Des Ryan, Director of Sport and Physical Wellbeing at University of Galway, said: “Liam Nolan is a great role model and an ambassador for University of Galway, for Galway Golf Club and Ireland. We are delighted to see his hard work pay off and we are delighted to have been able to support Liam through the University’s High-Performance Unit led by Feargal O’Callaghan. We all wish him every success and every bit of luck that’s needed on the famous links. His sporting and academic achievements will inspire many other dual aspirational sports people to achieve great things and many others to participate in sport.” Liam Nolan is a Galway native and his home club is Galway Golf Club. He won the South American Amateur Open in January 2023 and in May of that year he went on to win the Brabazon Trophy. He was selected to play for Great Britain and Ireland against the US in the Walker Cup in September 2023 – a pinnacle of the sport for amateur players. He has also represented Ireland in the European Team Championships and Home Internationals.  Ends