معرفی
Niall O'Leary is a Senior Lecturer and Principal Investigator in the School of Microbiology at University College Cork (UCC), with affiliations to the Environmental Research Institute and the SUSFERM biotechnology centre. His research focuses on microbial community ecology for wastewater treatment and circular economy solutions in the agri-food sector, alongside innovations in technology-enhanced education. He holds an MA in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (2014) and has secured significant grants, including SFI funding for wastewater-based epidemiology and EPA support for dairy wastewater valorization.
Education: BSc (Hons) Microbiology (1996), PhD Microbiology (2001) from UCC, followed by postdoctoral research. Advanced teaching qualifications include a Postgraduate Diploma (2009) and MA in Teaching and Learning (2014).
Research Interests: Microbial bioreactor systems, dairy/meat wastewater treatment, bioconversion to biodegradable plastics, and Lemna cultivation. Recent work includes SARS-CoV-2 wastewater epidemiology and precision fermentation via SUSFERM. Teaching innovations include VR simulations for molecular biology and 360° virtual industrial site visits.
Notable Grants: SFI Rapid Response (€44,876), UniCov Study (€188,770), NEWTRIENTS (€650,000), and DAFF-funded projects on duckweed protein and dairy wastewater.
Awards: DELTA National Award (2021), UCC President’s Teaching Excellence (2015). Active in outreach, including public workshops on plastic pollution and collaborations with secondary schools via VR biology tools.
