Membership Profiles

Norah Burns

	Dr Norah Burns is a human rights academic. She holds a Bachelor of Law in Law and European Studies, a Masters of Law in Human Rights in Criminal Justice and a PhD in law. She completed a Masters in Third Level Teaching, Learning and Scholarship in 2020 and has also completed postgraduate studies in human rights in Kings College London. In 2018 Norah was selected from 13,000 young people in Europe and Asia as a future young ethical leader in Europe by the Asia Europe Foundation. Dr Burns is a multiple award winning lecturer, amongst her awards in 2021 she was named as a National Teaching Hero by the Union of Students in Ireland and the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning. Norah is a board member of the National Women’s Council. In April 2021 she was selected by the Minister for Children and Equality to sit on the Council of Gaisce: The Presidents Award. Norah Burns is currently a member of the Governing Body Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Dr Norah Burns is a human rights academic. She holds a Bachelor of Law in Law and European Studies, a Masters of Law in Human Rights in Criminal Justice and a PhD in law. She completed a Masters in Third Level Teaching, Learning and Scholarship in 2020 and has also completed postgraduate studies in human rights in Kings College London. In 2018 Norah was selected from 13,000 young people in Europe and Asia as a future young ethical leader in Europe by the Asia Europe Foundation. Dr Burns is a multiple award winning lecturer, amongst her awards in 2021 she was named as a National Teaching Hero by the Union of Students in Ireland and the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning. Norah is a board member of the National Women’s Council. In April 2021 she was selected by the Minister for Children and Equality to sit on the Council of Gaisce: The Presidents Award.

Norah Burns is currently a member of the Governing Body Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Mary Cooke (Chairperson)

	Mary is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and of the Honourable Society of Kings Inns, Dublin. She practiced at the Irish Bar from 1988 to 1996 and from 1996 to 2020 worked in the Office of the Attorney General as Advisory Counsel and in that role had extensive experience in advising on the range of constitutional and other public law matters, directing on litigation involving the State and advising on draft legislation. Mary was a member of the Office’s management committee from 2009 to 2020 and had a particular role in learning and development. She has been a member of various Government interdepartmental and wider committees concerning areas of public policy. Since 2021 Mary has been engaged as an international legal expert in legal and judicial reform projects with the Council of Europe. Mary Cook is the Chair of the Governing Body Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Mary is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and of the Honourable Society of Kings Inns, Dublin. She practiced at the Irish Bar from 1988 to 1996 and from 1996 to 2020 worked in the Office of the Attorney General as Advisory Counsel and in that role had extensive experience in advising on the range of constitutional and other public law matters, directing on litigation involving the State and advising on draft legislation. Mary was a member of the Office’s management committee from 2009 to 2020 and had a particular role in learning and development. She has been a member of various Government interdepartmental and wider committees concerning areas of public policy. Since 2021 Mary has been engaged as an international legal expert in legal and judicial reform projects with the Council of Europe.

Mary Cook is the Chair of the Governing Body Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Dr Gerald Craddock

	Dr Gerald Craddock heads up the statutory Centre on Universal Design in Ireland. The only such centre in the world. The centre's focus is on designing a more inclusive society though creating more inclusive digital and built environments, services and systems that are accessible and usable by all. Previous to the the above role Dr Craddock headed up a national Assistive technology service delivery centre in Ireland. He has a PhD in Disability Studies, a Higher Diploma in Social, Vocational Management and a degree in electronic engineering.

Dr Gerald Craddock heads up the statutory Centre on Universal Design in Ireland. The only such centre in the world. The centre's focus is on designing a more inclusive society though creating more inclusive digital and built environments, services and systems that are accessible and usable by all.

Previous to the the above role Dr Craddock headed up a national Assistive technology service delivery centre in Ireland. He has a PhD in Disability Studies, a Higher Diploma in Social, Vocational Management and a degree in electronic engineering.

Michael Gately

	Michael Gately is an International Non-Executive director, company founder and a serial investor. He has worked in well over 100 countries, visiting at least 25 countries every year for over 20 years. These countries included Afghanistan, Haiti, Indonesia, Pakistan & Iran. Apart from Ireland, he has been a director of companies in Algeria, Turkey, France, South Africa, Vietnam, China & Australia. Areas of investment interest include organic farming, water treatment, adhesives/paints, early-stage digital technology, chemicals and general manufacturing. He has worked on research projects with The University of North Carolina, the University of Ulster, Montana University, Stanford University and Leeds University. While Michael was MD of Medentech- Aquatabs, it was named by Forbes Magazine as one of the top 100 companies changing the world. Today over 18 million African children receive safe water every day from Aquatabs products, while top USA hospitals such as Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic & Johns Hopkins use products he and his team developed for infection control programs. Michael is the inventor of “ WASH year in a box” which brings all infection control products needed for rural hospitals in developing countries in one box for one year for €1 per day.

Michael Gately is an International Non-Executive director, company founder and a serial investor. He has worked in well over 100 countries, visiting at least 25 countries every year for over 20 years. These countries included Afghanistan, Haiti, Indonesia, Pakistan & Iran.

Apart from Ireland, he has been a director of companies in Algeria, Turkey, France, South Africa, Vietnam, China & Australia. Areas of investment interest include organic farming, water treatment, adhesives/paints, early-stage digital technology, chemicals and general manufacturing.

He has worked on research projects with The University of North Carolina, the University of Ulster, Montana University, Stanford University and Leeds University.

While Michael was MD of Medentech- Aquatabs, it was named by Forbes Magazine as one of the top 100 companies changing the world.

Today over 18 million African children receive safe water every day from Aquatabs products, while top USA hospitals such as Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic & Johns Hopkins use products he and his team developed for infection control programs. Michael is the inventor of “ WASH year in a box” which brings all infection control products needed for rural hospitals in developing countries in one box for one year for €1 per day.

Yvonne Galligan (Director)

	Yvonne Galligan is Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Professor of Comparative Politics in Technological University Dublin. She was founding director of the Centre for Advancement of Women in Politics in Queen’s University Belfast and is now founding director of RINCE. She is a past Vice President of the International Political Science Association, past President of the Political Studies Association of Ireland. She is serving a second term as Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association. Yvonne has served, and chaired, a range of public boards, including the Parliamentary Commission to Consider the Consequences of Devolution on the House of Commons (The McKay Commission, member), the Women in Science Task and Finish Group, Wales (member), the Equality and Diversity Advisory Panel for the UK Research Assessment Framework (member) and The Markievicz Commission (chair). Yvonne has led three successful institutional Athena SWAN Silver applications, and has advised many institutions in Ireland, the UK and North America on their Athena SWAN (or equivalent) applications. She has extensive experience of reviewing institutional equality plans as part of research council funding applications, and of reviewing full applications, for the European Commission, NORFACE, the Swiss and Belgian research councils, the Academy of Finland, the Canadian Research Council, among others. Yvonne has produced over 100 publications on gender equality, including reports for governments, international organisations, and scholarly outputs. In recognition of her commitment to advancing gender equality in public life and in the academy, Yvonne received an OBE, Honorary Fellowship of Trinity College Dublin, an honorary doctorate from the University of Edinburgh, and elected a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. She is also Honorary Professor at Queen’s University Belfast.

Yvonne Galligan is Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Professor of Comparative Politics in Technological University Dublin. She was founding director of the Centre for Advancement of Women in Politics in Queen’s University Belfast and is now founding director of RINCE. She is a past Vice President of the International Political Science Association, past President of the Political Studies Association of Ireland. She is serving a second term as Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association.

Yvonne has served, and chaired, a range of public boards, including the Parliamentary Commission to Consider the Consequences of Devolution on the House of Commons (The McKay Commission, member), the Women in Science Task and Finish Group, Wales (member), the Equality and Diversity Advisory Panel for the UK Research Assessment Framework (member) and The Markievicz Commission (chair). Yvonne has led three successful institutional Athena SWAN Silver applications, and has advised many institutions in Ireland, the UK and North America on their Athena SWAN (or equivalent) applications.

She has extensive experience of reviewing institutional equality plans as part of research council funding applications, and of reviewing full applications, for the European Commission, NORFACE, the Swiss and Belgian research councils, the Academy of Finland, the Canadian Research Council, among others. Yvonne has produced over 100 publications on gender equality, including reports for governments, international organisations, and scholarly outputs. In recognition of her commitment to advancing gender equality in public life and in the academy, Yvonne received an OBE, Honorary Fellowship of Trinity College Dublin, an honorary doctorate from the University of Edinburgh, and elected a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. She is also Honorary Professor at Queen’s University Belfast.

Dr Deirdre Lillis (President of Technological University Dublin)

The Governing Body of Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) has appointed Dr Deirdre Lillis, as TU Dublin President.

Dr. Lillis comes from her role as Assistant Secretary-General at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, overseeing the Research, Innovation, Evidence for Policy and EU/International Division. She has led key national initiatives, including the Impact 2030 Research and Innovation Strategy and the Global Citizens 2030 International Talent and Innovation Strategy. Her extensive experience and expertise encompasses government operations, policy development, international collaborations and the nexus between policy and research.

A proven senior executive in higher education, Dr. Lillis’s prior experience includes university leadership roles in university-enterprise engagement in TU Dublin and as Head of Computer Science in Dublin Institute of Technology. She has a track record of research capacity building, internationalisation and transformation in higher education including being principal investigator for an unprecedented national investment in university-enterprise engagement through the Human Capital Initiative Convene project, as well as the HubLinked Knowledge Alliance and the Marie-Curie funded Global Entrepreneurial Talent Management programme.

She is a Chartered Director and has held roles on the governing authorities of various prominent organisations, including the board of the Higher Education Authority, the Senate of the National University of Ireland and the board of the Irish Writers Centre. Her research interests include national research and innovation systems, higher education policy, university-industry innovations and young talent management. She has won European awards for her sustained commitment to developing the careers of female academic staff and for increasing the participation of females in technological higher education programmes.