At the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) international convention in Toronto, Canada, Professor Sarah Gleeson (pictured) has been announced as Research Ireland Professor at University College Dublin, new Director of iCRAG, and as Full Professor in Sustainability Geoscience supported by the HEA Senior Academic Leadership Initiative (SALI).
Professor Gleeson is relocating to Ireland from Germany having most recently held the position of leader of the Inorganic and Isotope Geochemistry Section at GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam and, concurrently, a Professorship in the Institute of Geological Sciences at Freie Universität, Berlin. Professor Gleeson’s research expertise focusses on the genesis of sedimentary rock-hosted mineral deposits, Ni-Co laterite ore deposits, aqueous fluid processes, and water/rock interactions in crustal environments.
Professor Gleeson will lead a new €4.5 million research programme at the UCD School of Earth Sciences, supported by Research Ireland. The programme will employ 13 researchers over 5 years. The overarching impact goal of the research programme is to enable the identification of new sources of the raw materials that are needed to enable the green and digital transitions.
iCRAG’s research focuses on creating solutions for sustainable society across three Grand Challenges: Earth System Change, Earth Resources and Earth Science in Society. As Director, Professor Gleeson will oversee the Centre’s programme across ten different institutions and 150 researchers to deliver economic, societal, environmental and cultural impact for Ireland.
Celine Fitzgerald, Interim CEO of Research Ireland, welcomed the appointment, saying: “We are delighted to support Prof. Gleeson’s appointment, expanding the work of the vital Economic Geology research group at UCD and the iCRAG Research Ireland Centre for Applied Geosciences. The Research Ireland Professorship Programme is designed to attract leading researchers, building Ireland’s expertise and reputation in critical areas. Prof. Gleeson’s expertise and experience in metal resources research and collaborating with government and industry partners will have a significant impact on the geosciences sector. New exploration tools are vital for assisting in the mining of critical metals for use in renewable energy systems, such as electric vehicles. Prof. Gleeson’s work in developing new techniques to find mineral deposits will ensure that Ireland remains a global leader in minerals research.”
Speaking at the announcement, Professor Gleeson said: “Today I am delighted to join the UCD School of Earth Sciences as Full Professor of Sustainability Geoscience. Having worked in the UK, Canada and Germany, it is particularly gratifying to return to Ireland. I aim to contribute to the School's long-standing tradition of collaborative research fostered by its outstanding staff and training the next generation of geoscientists. Through my Directorship of iCRAG, I look forward to building on the excellent work led by Professor Murray Hitzman and his team in advancing applied geosciences as a vital research area of national significance.”
Professor Kate Robson Brown, Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact at University College Dublin said: “I would like to welcome Professor Gleeson to UCD and offer my congratulations on her appointment as the new Director of iCRAG. With an outstanding international reputation for research excellence in economic geology and a strong record of industry engagement, her leadership will advance UCD’s and Ireland’s position as a global hub for minerals research. Her Research Ireland-funded programme will also foster the development of a skilled new generation of researchers to tackle our decarbonisation challenges.”
One of the most tangible outputs from Professor Gleeson’s research programme will be a compilation of openly available geological, geochemical, geophysical, and remote sensing data from selected areas in Ireland and elsewhere that are amenable to modern data analytical techniques and that can be utilised by a variety of sectors beyond mineral exploration including agriculture and environmental health.
Head of the UCD School of Earth Sciences, Professor Peter Haughton said: “On behalf of our School, I warmly welcome Professor Sarah Gleeson to her new role as Full Professor in Sustainability Geoscience in the UCD School of Earth Sciences. Appointed under the Senior Academic Leadership Initiative (SALI) managed by the Higher Education Authority, Professor Gleeson’s appointment will further strengthen our research and teaching at the intersection between geoscience and sustainability. I look forward to working with her in her new roles as Research Ireland Professor and as the incoming Director of iCRAG.
“Furthermore, I would like to thank outgoing iCRAG Director Professor Murray Hitzman for his superb leadership of iCRAG since 2018. During this time, the Centre has undergone transformative change and delivered strong scientific research and industry collaboration, and will continue to deliver impact under Professor Gleeson’s leadership. I wish Professor Hitzman well in his new role as Chair of UNESCO’s International Geoscience Programme Council.”