John O'Halloran (academic) facts for kids

John O'Halloran is an Irish scientist and university leader. He studies birds, so he's also an ornithologist. In August 2021, he became the President of University College Cork (UCC), which is a big university in Ireland. He is the sixteenth person to hold this important job.

About John O'Halloran

John O'Halloran was born in Cork, Ireland. He was one of eight children. He went to Douglas Community School.

He first studied at UCC, learning about animals in a subject called Zoology. Later, in 2009, he earned a special science degree called a "doctorate of science" (DSc). He got this for all the important research he had published.

Before working at UCC, he taught at other universities. He worked at Colby College in the United States. He also taught at the University of Wales in Cardiff.

His Career Journey

John O'Halloran became the President of UCC in August 2021. He was 59 years old at the time. Before that, he had been the temporary president since September 2020.

He also held other important roles at UCC. He was the deputy president and registrar. He was also in charge of teaching and learning. He helped start the Quercus Talented Students Programme. This program supports students who are very good at something. He also helped lead the UCC Green Campus forum. This group works to make the university more eco-friendly.

Studying Birds

John O'Halloran is an expert in birds, which is what an ornithologist does. He earned his PhD in 1987. In 2021, he was a professor of zoology at UCC.

Newspapers like the Irish Examiner have called him a zoologist and an ecologist. An ecologist studies how living things interact with their environment.

The Irish Times newspaper said that John O'Halloran has written many research papers. These papers focus on how changes to land use and climate change affect our communities. He has also helped more than 75 students complete their PhDs and research Masters degrees.

John O'Halloran was the vice-president of the British Trust for Ornithology. He was also on the board of BirdWatch Ireland. He is currently the chairman of the board for Fota Wildlife Park. This is a popular place where people can see many different animals. For over 20 years, he has also been the chairman of the biology and ecology panel for the BT Young Scientist competition. This is a big science competition for young people in Ireland.

Family Life

Professor O'Halloran grew up in Douglas, a part of Cork City. He is married to Professor Deirdre Murray. She is also a UCC graduate and works as the director of the National Cancer Registry. They have three children.