Institute of Physics (External organisation)

Description

I am one of ~20 Council Members/ Trustees of the UK Institute of Physics (https://www.iop.org/about/governance/council/council-biographies), as the sole representative of the island of Ireland, and since 2022-2024 Chair of IOP Ireland Committee, and from 2024 the first Chair of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Physics of Ireland.

The IOP is the learned society for Physics in Ireland. It supports the development of teaching, outreach, encouraging innovation, and providing evidence-based advice to government. In these Executive national leadership roles I provide outward facing-leadership for our School/QUB, helping shape the physics strategy for the UK and Ireland, pertinent to the livelihood of QUB physics.

Representing all physicists on the island, academics, teachers, students, apprentices, technicians and those in industry. I am involved in the full IOP remit. In 2024/25 I represented IOP and QUB in meetings with the NI Education Minister, the Junior First Ministers, Chief Scientific and Technology l Adviser, and educational expert Lucy Crehan, to raise the importance of physics-related industries to the NI economy and advise on the NI curriculum review (see press releases). This followed 2023 meetings with DPS, Chief of Inspectorate etc of Department of Education. I also met with Irish Senators to progress Ireland's CERN membership; funding was subsequently confirmed and Ireland's application is in progress (see IOP Press release).

Period	01 Oct 2024 → 01 Oct 2026
Held at	Institute of Physics, United Kingdom
Degree of Recognition	National