Welcome Message
Professor Trudee Fair grew up in Westport, Co Mayo. She studied Agricultural Science at the University College Galway and then transferred to University College Dublin (UCD), specialising in animal husbandry and animal production, graduating in 1991. Inspired by the work of Professor Ian Gordon, who had established an in vitro embryo production laboratory at the UCD Lyons Farm, Trudee began her Master’s programme in UCD in reproductive physiology, graduating in 1992.
While attending a conference in The Hague, Trudee was introduced to the work of Professor Poul Hyttel on oocyte and embryo morphology and decided to pursue a PhD in his group. Expertly supported by Mrs Susan Hedigan, she applied for an EU Marie Curie International Fellowship, to study at The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen, where she focused on the ultrastructure of bovine oocyte growth. She spent time conducting research in Denmark and France before returning to Ireland in 1998 to further her career at UCD Lyons Farm as a postdoctoral researcher.
Her research work has always been driven by a deep curiosity to further understand the egg as the foundation of life: What are the factors, the genes, the proteins, and the molecular structure of the egg that make it ready to sustain fertilisation, develop into an embryo, and form a viable pregnancy?
Currently Professor Fair is lecturing in animal physiology and animal health, behaviour and welfare in UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science.
Professor Fair was elected to the Board of Governors of the International Embryo Technology Society (IETS) and delivered their keynote lecture at their annual conference in 2024. Trudee holds the position of Associate Dean for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the School of Agricultural and Food Sciences (SAFS), and chaired UCD’s 1st successful School’s application for the Athena Swan Silver Award. Gender equality is very important to Trudee, she was one of very few female academics when she initially started in UCD SAFS. She acknowledges the support of colleagues during her career and is now involved in the mentoring program within the school. She was Chair of the Lyons Farm Animal Welfare Subcommittee for several years and secured funding for the digitisation of animal welfare records within UCD.
Professor Trudee Fair
Associate Dean for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Email:(opens in a new window)(opens in a new window)trudee.fair@ucd.ie