The Knowledge Review The 20 Most Innovative STEM College and Universiti | Page 49

The Scholarly Researcher and
Innovator of UCC
Professor Paul Ross is the Head of College of Science,
Engineering & Food Science in UCC and a member of the
University Management team. Although Paul is well known
for his jovial personality, he is a serious researcher who is
internationally recognized for his contributions in
microbiology, where he has published in excess of 500 peer-
reviewed publications (ISI H-index of 73).
His particular area of expertise is gut microbiota and the
impact of antimicrobial peptides, bacteriocins, probiotics,
and anti-infectives on gut health. Moreover, Paul is a natural
collaborator and is largely responsible for many of the close
partnerships between scientists at UCC and representatives
in industry, academia, Government agencies (Teagasc) and
politics. Apart from supervising over 70 PhD students, one of
his most significant contributions has been the discovery of a
natural antimicrobial (ThuricinCD, with collaborators
Colin Hill and Mary Rea) which selectively kills
Clostridium difficile, a very problematic bacterium that
causes antibiotic associated gut problems. T R
• Academics and
researchers in the College
of Science, Engineering
and Food Science have a
strong track record of
attracting prestigious
research funding and are
involved in international
collaborations with
colleagues throughout the
world.
• UCC has 21,000 students.
These comprise of 15,000 in
undergraduate programmes,
4,400 in postgraduate study
and research, and 2,800
adults in continuing
education. Its student body
includes 3,300 international
students, representing more
than 100 countries
worldwide.
Sagacious Educat s of
e University Co ege C k
The year 2015 marked e bicentenary of
e bir of UCC's most notable
'independent inker', Ge ge Boole (1815-
1864). A year-long programme of events
and activities cele ated e life and legacy
of UCC's first profess of ma ematics
and e f efa er of e digital age, who
is also famous f contributing Boolean
Alge a.
Mary MacSwiney (1872-1942) was a
noted republican, feminist, and educat . A
charismatic school teacher associated wi
C k's sma advanced nationalist
community pri to 1916, MacSwiney was
also an active suffragist and founding
member of e non-militant Munster
Women's Franchise League. Alfred
O'Rahi y (1884-1969) was Profess of
Ma ematical Physics (1917-1943) and
Registrar (1920-1943) and was e
dominant co ege figure from 1920 to
1954. Profess Mary Ryan was e first
woman in Ireland and Great Britain to
hold e position of Profess . During her
irty years as Profess in UCC, she won
a f midable reputation f sending her
postgraduate students to e S bonne.
She was awarded a 'DLitt' f her
published w k and had bestowed upon
her e highest hon of e French
Republic, e Legion of Hon .
• University College
Cork (UCC) is in the
top 2% of universities
worldwide. It is a
research-intensive,
student-centred,
international top-tier
university.
• UCC was voted as the
Best University in
Ireland by the Sunday
Times, that too three
times in the past decade.
UCC is the only Irish
University to have won
this accolade.
October | 2017
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N O W L E D Education.
G E R Innovation.
E V I Success
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