PROFESSOR Norelee Kennedy, who has been appointed Vice President for Research at the University of Limerick, will be responsible for a main pillar of the new UL Strategic Plan that will be launched in the coming semester.
An Associate Professor of Physiotherapy and Head of School of Allied Health at UL, she will take up the new position in January.
UL President Dr Des Fitzgerald said that research was vital to the future of the University and its importance is now gaining significant attention.
“Research and Innovation will also form a main pillar of the new UL Strategic Plan which will be launched in the coming semester,” he stated.
Dr Fitzgerald also acknowledged “the superb work of the outgoing Vice President Dr Mary Shire who completed two very successful terms in this role and led the Research function with distinction”.
Prof Kennedy has worked as an academic in UL for over 14 years and as Head of School of Allied Health for five years. The Tipperary native graduated from Trinity College Dublin with a BSc Physiotherapy in 1999 and a PhD in 2004. Her research focuses on focuses on inflammatory arthritis and physical activity in exercise.
Stating that she was honoured to be taking on her new role, she said that, as an academic in UL for the last 14 years, she was very proud of UL and the research that was done there.
“It is such an exciting opportunity to look at the next phase of research for UL. We have an excellent base in what we are doing in our research here and I think there are opportunities to look at new ways of bringing people together to work in interdisciplinary ways.
“My vision is that we will continue to ensure that research we engage with has excellent impact and value for the communities and the people that we work with and the research partners we engage with,” she added.
The Vice President, Research (VPR) at UL is a member of the Executive Committee with responsibility for Research Support Services and the Technology Transfer Office.
They are responsible for the Research affairs of the University, including research support services, related enterprise and commercialisation of UL’s research.
Reporting to the President, the VPR also has a key role in the overall leadership and strategic management of the University.
