CREST Centre Manager

Email: garrett.melia@tudublin.ie

Tel: 086 812 8727

Dr Garrett Melia heads the Centre for Research in Engineering Surface Technology (CREST) located in Technological University Dublin. As the Centre Manager, Garrett leads a team of highly qualified R&D scientists and engineers that deliver solutions resolving technical challenges encountered by companies in the advanced engineering, construction, biomedical, food science and environmental sectors in Ireland. As part of his role, he ensures that CREST works in partnership with the other Enterprise Ireland Technology Gateways to deliver innovation expertise and solutions across a wide spectrum of Irish industry.

Garrett qualified as a Mechanical Engineer from TU Dublin Bolton St in 2001 and went on to work as a project engineer on large complex engineering projects in the healthcare, pharmaceutical and high-volume manufacturing sectors. Garrett gained international experience in New Zealand working on significant infrastructure projects that involved many stakeholders. He returned to Ireland and obtained a master’s degree in mechanical engineering after which he joined CREST 2011. This led to him working on a large EU funded project where he engaged with a diverse range of project partners to develop new low surface energy coatings for application in the aerospace sector. As a result of the project, Garrett was able to enhance CREST’s surface technology platform for other industrial applications and graduated with a doctorate in applied chemistry in 2015 from TU Dublin Kevin St. Garrett leveraged this work to apply for a Commercialisation Fund from Enterprise Ireland to develop advanced coatings for Irish industry, including medical devices, precision engineering and polymer products.

Garrett joined the PwC R&D Incentives team in 2019 where he used his technical knowledge to assist companies to avail of Ireland’s range of RD&I incentives, especially the R&D Tax Credit. Garrett gained valuable experience in helping companies reduce their R&D spend through the tax credit and understanding the commercial pressure they operate under to develop new technologies, processes and products in Ireland.

This experience has shaped Garrett’s approach to make sure it is multidisciplinary in nature and considers all aspects of the research and development process. He encourages his team to take a holistic approach when working with companies to ensure that the CREST Gateway meets their needs.