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Professor Suresh C. Pillai becomes a member of Royal Irish Academy
Professor Suresh C. Pillai, Director of The Nanotechnology and Bioengineering (Nano-Bio) Research group at Atlantic Technological University (ATU), has been elected a Member of the Royal Irish Academy (RIA) - considered as the highest academic honour in Ireland. He will be formally admitted at a ceremony on Friday, 22 May at RIA.
The RIA draws its membership from across the island of Ireland and elects individuals who have achieved distinction through their contributions to scholarship and research. Professor Pillai’s election is notable for ATU, given that relatively few Academy members come from the technological university sector.
Professor Pillai is a leading researcher in nanotechnology and biomaterial research. He completed his PhD in nanotechnology at Trinity College Dublin and undertook postdoctoral research at California Institute of Technology (Caltech), USA. He later returned to Trinity College Dublin as a Research Fellow and then worked at DIT (TU Dublin) in various research and academic roles for over ten years. During this time, Suresh completed an MBA from Dublin City University. He joined ATU in 2013 as a Senior Lecturer in nanotechnology and currently leads the Nanotechnology and Bio-Engineering Research centre. He has been invited to deliver keynote/plenary speeches at various international conferences.
His research has received international recognition and includes several patented innovations and the commercialisation of technologies in biomedical sector. He is a recipient of the Boyle-Higgins Award from the Institute of Chemistry of Ireland and the Linus Pauling Lecture Award from Mahatma Gandhi University. He is also a recipient of number commercial awards such as ‘Industrial Technologies Award ‘Hothouse Commercialisation Award’ and ‘Enterprise Ireland Research Commercialisation Award’ for licensing technology innovations to Irish companies. His research was featured in various international media, including BBC and RTE, as well as in a number of national and international print media, such as The Guardian, The Times, etc. He is also an elected Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society UK and the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining.
At ATU, he has contributed to academic and research activities, including serving as Principal Investigator on the ARC Hub for Health, membership of the Academic Council and the Research and Innovation Committee, involvement in the Strategic Planning Council, and supervision of PhD students and postdocs.
“It is an honour to be elected to the Royal Irish Academy. I look forward to continuing my research and collaboration with colleagues at ATU and internationally, advancing both scientific understanding and industrial applications”, Professor Pillai said.
Dr Brendan Jennings, Chief Officer for Research, Innovation & Engagement at ATU, said:
Election to the Royal Irish Academy is a significant recognition of Professor Pillai’s research excellence and leadership in nanotechnology. It highlights ATU’s commitment to building research capacity and delivering impactful innovation across the regions we serve.
Photo caption: Professor Suresh C. Pillai, Director of The Nanotechnology and Bioengineering (Nano-Bio) Research group at Atlantic Technological University (ATU), has been elected a Member of the Royal Irish Academy (RIA)
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