Academic biography

Dr. Breda Kiernan joined Insight in May 2016 and is Centre Manager for Insight@DCU, one of 4 sites comprising the Insight: Centre for Data Analytics. Insight is one of Europe’s largest data analytics research organisations, with 350 researchers, more than 40 industry partners and over €88 million of funding.

In her current role, she leads the Operations team, supporting Insight’s researchers with funding sustainability planning, project management and troubleshooting. She liaises with industry to identify new opportunities and manages existing relationships. Working closely with senior management across the Centre, she is involved in strategic development and implementation for Insight.

Dr. Kiernan formerly managed the strategic partnership, “Transatlantic Higher Education Partnership” between Dublin City University and Arizona State University, (largest public university in the United States) (2013-2016). Prior to this, she was Business Coordinator for a Financial Services consultancy and training company in Dublin (2011-2013). She graduated from the University of Bradford with a PhD. in Analytical Chemistry (2006) and has over 4 years of postdoctoral experience in the National Centre for Sensor Research (DCU) and CLARITY: Centre for Sensor Web Technologies (DCU) (2006-2010). She graduated from National University Ireland with a BBS. in Business Studies with Accounting in 2013. Her research career has involved projects for industry on process improvement, product design and development and novel energy storage technologies. Her postdoctoral work was in the area of environmental protection, involving autonomous gas sensing device development with applications for industry and state bodies. She has presented her work at international conferences and published in a number of peer-reviewed publications.