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The head of Ireland’s largest research funding body - Science
Foundation Ireland (SFI) - is to resign his post and move
to take up a new appointment in Australia at the beginning
of next year.
Prof Frank Gannon’s departure will be a blow to the foundation
and also to the Government, given his contribution to national
science policy, including at Cabinet level.
Prof Gannon is in the fourth year of a five-year contract
as director general of the foundation. While it was known
that he was considering a move from the foundation, final
confirmation of his decision came only recently from Australia.
The country’s deputy premier and minister for health Paul
Lucas announced that Prof Gannon would join the Queensland
Institute of Medical Research in Brisbane as its seventh director
and chief executive officer.
It is understood Prof Gannon was made an offer he felt he
couldn’t refuse. He will head a major research facility, but
will also be able to return to active laboratory research,
something he was unable to do while at the foundation. He
has retained his international reputation in the area of molecular
bioscience despite his time away from the lab.
The SFI has confirmed Prof Gannon’s departure. Its chairman,
Prof Patrick Fottrell, had formally notified Minister for
Enterprise Batt O’Keeffe of Prof Gannon’s decision and the
board was now working with the department to find a successor.
The foundation’s board congratulated Prof Gannon on his “prestigious
appointment” and thanked him “for his dedication in leading
SFI so effectively over the last three-and-a-half years”.
Source - The Irish Times
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