Mary Dempsey

I am Vice Dean for EDI for the College of Science and Engineering, and I am deeply committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment within our college. With a lived understanding of discrimination, I am committed to do my best to ensure that discriminatory practices are eliminated. I am committed to progressing initiates that will reduce disparities, promote cultural competence, and ensure equitable access to opportunities for students and staff so that everyone has equal opportunities. This role also involves advising on policies, developing strategic EDI plans, and collaborating across campus to create a welcoming and supportive campus climate. The Vice Dean role is a key advocate for underrepresented groups, ensuring the integration of EDI principles into all facets of academic and community life.

Florence Abram

I am an Associate Professor in Microbiology and the Director of the Functional Environmental Microbiology research group, which I established in 2010. I chaired the EDI committee from the old School of Natural Sciences from November 2018 to August 2022. In that capacity I assembled an Athena Swan SAT that I chaired after my maternity leave from March 2021 to August 2022, where we focused on the implementation of our Action Plan for our Bronze award. I then became the AS SAT chair from the new School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, which was launched in September 2022. I successfully led our Bronze award transfer application and we are now working towards our upcoming application due in November 2026.

Miriam Byrne

I have been involved in EDI activity since 2013. Chair of the former Physics Juno committee, awarded Practitioner in 2013 (first in Ireland). Chair of former Physics Athena SWAN panel, awarded Bronze in 2020. Leader of the Restructuring Working Group which led to Athena SWAN Bronze for SNS in 2023.

Prisca Chipao

I am the Race Equality Advisor for the college, bringing both lived experience as a woman of color and a strong foundation in international human rights law. Having personally experienced and witnessed intersectional inequalities, I am deeply committed to promoting inclusion and advocating against all forms of discrimination. My role is to champion race equality, foster a welcoming and diverse university community, and ensure that all college-level services are free from racism, creating an environment where everyone can thrive.

Eoghan Clifford

I am Professor and Head of Civil Engineering. My interests on the committee are mainly in areas such as accessibility for students and staff to facilities and the broader campus. I am a member of the Board of Directors for Muscular Dystrophy Ireland and have a broader interest in research that improves quality of life and enabling more students with physical disabilities access higher education.

Alessandra Costanzo

I am the Chair of the EDI Committee in the School of Natural Science since 2022 and was a member of the EDI committee of the old School of Natural Sciences before this. I developed an interest in EDI after taking part in several meetings in different committees where international staff and representatives from different areas and scales, rather than just academic, were present and I realised it is important that everyone can express their opinion and everyone's opinion is taken into consideration.

Maeve Duffy

Elaine Dunleavy

I am Chair of the EDI committee for the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences. I am committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive and progressive environment within our School and College. I wear various 'hats' - researcher, teacher, mentor, mother - and strive to be mindful of EDI issues in each if these roles. I am an active member of our School's Athena Swan self-assessment team and can see the value of EDI actions and policies that result from this charter.

Brenda Fallon

I am HR Business Partner to the College of Science and Engineering. I have worked in HR for over twenty years in various sectors and I have a wealth of experience of all people related matters in the workplace. I have direct experience of working in the EDI space, having previously worked as Equality Manager in the University. In this role, I witnessed firsthand the absolute importance of hearing all voices and perspectives. I believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and I live this belief in all of my interactions with people. My focus is on ensuring that fairness underpins actions while recognising that all people are unique, and I am dedicated to the integration and promotion of EDI activities across the College and the wider university.

William Finnegan

I am a Lecturer in Civil Engineering and I have been part of the committee (previously as the College of Engineering and Informatics) since its inception in 2017. I have recently taken up the role as Co-Chair of the School of Engineering SAT, where we currently hold an Athena SWAN Silver Award.

Niall Flaherty

As a Learning Technologist in the College of Science and Engineering, having worked as a lecturer in information design and communication, and having 10 years of experience in working in learning technology, I am committed to assisting all the staff and students of the college to access learning with equity. I am particularly interested in the equity, diversity and inclusion of teaching, learning and assessment as delivered through digital technologies. Universal Design for Learning offers one such approach which I can support. I also look forward to playing a role in delivering on the college's EDI plans with conviction and enthusiasm.

Steve Griffin

As a member of the EDI committee, I bring over 19 years of experience spanning biotech, medtech, pharma, and academia, where I have consistently worked to foster innovation, collaboration, and inclusivity. In my role as Programme Manager at the Health Innovation Hub Ireland, I actively supported healthcare professionals and entrepreneurs, helping them validate and bring innovative solutions to the market. My diverse background has equipped me with a unique perspective on addressing systemic barriers to equitable access, ensuring everyone, regardless of background, has opportunities to succeed. I would like to continue this in my current role as Manager of the Institute for Health Discovery and Innovation.
I am deeply motivated by a desire to give back to the university community and create spaces where diverse voices are celebrated. My professional journey—from leading projects across multinational and start-up environments to engaging with a wide range of stakeholders—has shown me the transformative power of inclusive practices. I am committed to integrating EDI principles into my work by leveraging my experience in strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and team development to promote equity, innovation, and opportunity across all areas of academia and industry.

Joshua Maglione

John McCrae

I lead the committees from EDI in both the School of Computer Science and the Data Science Institute. We have successfully applied for the Athena SWAN Bronze Award jointly between the School and the Institute. In addition, we support other activities related to diversity in the school and institute.

Therese McIntyre

I am the School Operations Officer in the School of Computer Science and have been a part of the University of Galway as both a student and a staff member on and off since 2002. I've seen many an occasion where people, myself included, have had to fight their corner to be treated equally, whether for educational or employment opportunities. Unfortunately, with the times in which we live, there is a rise in certain cohorts within the general population that would like to see inequality and discrimination continue. To a great extent, I'm in a privileged position where I have not experienced a huge amount of discrimination/inequality because of my profile. It is because of this that I became involved in EDI where I feel that I can use my voice to help those who may not feel that they have one and to ensure that everyone, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or cultural background is treated equally and fairly and to promote a culture of inclusivity.

Paul Murphy

Eimer O'Connell

Joe O'Connell

I am a Senior Technical Officer in the School of Computer Science, and I am committed to all the objectives of EDI. I have a particular passion for inclusion and would be working hard towards progressing initiatives which lead to a more inclusive education, workplace, and social interaction, for all staff and students. As a representative from the technical cohort, I would also campaign and work towards solutions for the EDI issues relating to the technical sector.

Katie O'Connor

I am a HPC computational scientist and head of the EDI committee at ICHEC. I am committed to fostering a more inclusive, welcoming and diverse workplace for all members of staff. I am the co-founder of Women in HPC Ireland, a chapter of the global Women in HPC organisation, which hopes to bring together women and underrepresented groups across Ireland and Northern Ireland working in the HPC sector. As part of this initiative, we hope to make a positive difference in EDI within the world of tech.

Rachel Quinlan

Mirco Soderi

I am a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Data Science Institute; I am in the committee as the Researchers Representative. I see the participation in the activities of the committee as an opportunity of personal and professional growth that beautifully matches my personal interests, especially when it comes to diversity, as I have a natural disposition towards embracing and diving into it, and when needed, I very gladly provide support in all possible ways. I used to do this in a variety of shapes when I was in Italy, and I am grateful that I have been given the opportunity to do the same here too.

Michelle Spratt

My earliest experience of inequality comes from childhood, growing up as the eldest girl in a traditional Irish Catholic family with four younger brothers. While both my parents worked outside the home, my mother bore all the responsibility for domestic chore.

As a teenager I rallied against the injustice of this cultural norm.

It was at the HR Induction that I was first exposed to EDI principles. The presenter talked about learning and working at your own pace which greatly resonated with me.

When I joined college office staff July of 2024, I became an active EDI committee member.

Michelle Treacy

I am the Financial Co-Ordinator at Data Science Institute. I currently hold the position of Vice Chair of the Data Science Institute EDI committee. I am committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment within the Data Science Institute and the University. As the Data Science Institute has such a large multi-cultural environment we are continuously promoting the principles of EDI within the Institute. As part of my ongoing commitment to EDI within the University I have joined the Cumas Programme Advisory Committee with the aim of the programme of providing students with intellectual disabilities access to third level education.