Brian MacCraith facts for kids

Brian MacCraith is an important Irish physicist. He was born in Dundalk, Ireland in 1957. He is best known for being the third president of Dublin City University (DCU).

Mr. MacCraith started working at DCU in 1986. He became the university's president in July 2010. He led DCU for 10 years. After his time as president, he took on other important jobs. He led Ireland's special group for COVID-19 vaccines. He also led a group looking at the future of media in Ireland.

Early Life and School

Brian MacCraith grew up in Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland. His parents were both teachers. He went to primary schools in County Armagh and Dundalk. Later, he attended CBS Dundalk, which is now called Coláiste Rís. Both his mother and father taught him in school.

He studied Physics at NUI Galway university. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree there. He also continued his studies and got a Master's degree and a PhD. His PhD research was about how light interacts with materials used in lasers.

Career in Science

After university, Mr. MacCraith worked at Dundalk Institute of Technology. In 1986, he joined Dublin City University (DCU). He taught physics and started the university's Optical Sensors Laboratory. This lab focused on creating new types of sensors.

His research looked at optical chemical sensors and biosensors. These are devices that can detect tiny amounts of chemicals or biological things. He also studied biomedical diagnostics, which helps find diseases. He published many papers and developed new ideas in these areas.

In 1999, Mr. MacCraith became the first Director of the National Centre for Sensor Research (NCSR) at DCU. He helped get a lot of money for this center. Later, he suggested creating the Biomedical Diagnostics Institute (BDI). This institute started in 2005. It received the largest amount of funding for a research project in Ireland's history. Mr. MacCraith was its first director. In 2010, he also helped set up the Nano-bio-analytical Research Facility (NRF) at DCU.

He also spent time as a guest scientist at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C., USA.

Leading DCU

Brian MacCraith was chosen to be DCU's third president. He took office on July 13, 2010. In his first speech, he noted that he and DCU's first president, Danny O'Hare, were both from Dundalk. He said Mr. O'Hare was an inspiration to him.

He also talked about how important the east coast of Ireland is. He hoped to build stronger connections between DCU and Dundalk IT. In 2012, these two universities signed an agreement to work together.

During his time as president, Mr. MacCraith often spoke about what businesses and industries need from universities. He also talked about how universities need more funding. He also discussed the importance of more girls studying STEM subjects.

Important National Roles

Mr. MacCraith has led several important reviews for the Irish government. He chaired a review of medical training in 2014. This led to the "MacCraith Report." He also led a review of STEM education in Irish schools in 2016.

He has been a member of many important groups. These include Social Entrepreneurs Ireland (SEI) and Ibec (a group for Irish businesses). He has also chaired SciFest, which promotes science among young people. He is also the chairperson for the Genio Trust. This trust helps fund social projects, like care for people with dementia.

Future of Media Commission

In 2020, the Irish government asked Mr. MacCraith to lead the Future of Media Commission (FOMC). This group studied the future of media in Ireland. They focused on public service broadcasting, like national TV and radio. The FOMC published its report in July 2022. The government accepted almost all of its suggestions.

COVID-19 Work

In November 2020, the Irish Government appointed Mr. MacCraith to lead a special group. This group was called the High-Level Task Force on COVID-19 Vaccination. It was in charge of Ireland's COVID-19 vaccination program. The group advised the health services on how to carry out the program.

Awards and Recognition

Brian MacCraith has received many honors for his work. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics. He is also a Fellow of SPIE, an international group for optics and photonics. He is one of the few Fellows of the Irish Academy of Engineering. This is a group set up by the Institution of Engineers of Ireland. He also won the Mallin Invent Award for new ideas.

In 2007, he was chosen to be a member of the Royal Irish Academy. This is considered one of the highest academic honors in Ireland.

In 2014, the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, gave Mr. MacCraith an honorary doctorate. This is a special degree given to honor someone's achievements.

Personal Life

Brian MacCraith is married to Catherine MacCraith. They have two children, a daughter named Aoife and a son named Eoin.