Maria de Sousa Gallagher

Professor Maria de Sousa Gallagher is a Senior Lecturer in Process & Chemical Engineering at University College Cork (UCC) and Principal Investigator (PI) in the Environmental Research Institute (ERI), Food Institute, and Tyndall National Institute. With over 25 years of experience, her expertise spans Manufacturing Competitiveness, Circular Economy, sustainable engineering systems, and novel materials. She has led 27 research grants internationally, focusing on recycling innovations like the patented Pack-in-MAP® software and the RecEOL project, which demonstrated viable recycling of electronic waste. Her work integrates industry collaboration, academic leadership, and sustainable technologies.

Education: Holds a BE, MSc, and PhD in relevant disciplines. Her academic roles include Director of the Masters in Pharmaceutical & Biopharmaceutical Engineering (2016-21) and current Co-Director of SUSFERM, a center for fermentation bioprocessing systems.

Research Interests: Circular Economy, recycling of composite materials (tyres, PCBs), sustainable packaging, and bioprocess modeling. Key projects include chemical recycling of plastics, eco-innovative seafood processes (SEAFOOD-AGE), and valorization of cassava waste.

Publications & Impact: Over 250 peer-reviewed articles, 5,953 citations, and an h-index of 37. Her research emphasizes practical solutions for sustainability, such as edible coatings and molten metal pyrolysis.

Advising & Grants: Supervised 88 postgraduate students (13 PhD and 75 MEngSc) and coordinated numerous minor research theses and industry partnerships. Her grants span EU, national, and industry-funded initiatives totaling millions in funding.

Labs & Collaborations: Active in UCC’s Process & Chemical Engineering department, ERI, and Tyndall National Institute. Engaged in interdisciplinary teams addressing global challenges like aging populations and waste reduction.