Recognising our people 2025 Research Excellence Winners

Dr. Stuart McMichael is a leading researcher in clean technologies, with expertise spanning from photoelectrocatalytic reactors, modelling of UVC reactors, and devices for bacterial quantification.

He was the lead researcher for Ulster University's contribution to the EU Horizon 2020 project, “PANIWATER,” collaborating with CSIR-NEERI to install and test a scaled-up photoelectrocatalyic system.

His work also includes developing multiphysics simulations for optimising UVC LED reactors for water treatment, in collaboration with the University of São Paulo under a Royal Society project.

More recently, Dr. McMichael has explored integrating IoT systems for quantifying bacteria in water, with funding from InvestNI, aiming to commercialise this technology.

His interdisciplinary research combines engineering, chemistry, and biology, addressing environmental challenges and advancing sustainable water treatment and monitoring technologies.

His contributions enhance scientific understanding and have a broader societal impact, particularly in improving access to clean and safe water.

Dr Susan Lagdon has established a strong academic profile in domestic and sexual violence research.

Her work includes a significant focus on coercive control, has been widely recognised, with research replicated internationally and collaborations across Australia, Singapore, and Denmark.

Dr Lagdon has secured £560k in research funding, including a successful MRC grant to develop an educational intervention on healthy relationships.

This research has influenced educational reforms in Northern Ireland and earned invitations to speak at the Northern Ireland Assembly and contribute to the GREVIO baseline evaluation of the UK’s Istanbul Convention implementation.

Dr Lagdon is actively involved in advisory roles, including with the Department of Justice NI and the British Psychological Society, and co-chairs several relevant networks.

Her research has driven initiatives like the ‘Where to Draw the Line’ campaign and influenced university policies.

Dr Lagdon mentors future researchers, with one PhD student receiving the 2023 Prize for Outstanding Thesis.

Dr. Jim Donaghey is an accomplished researcher with remarkable achievements at Ulster University.

As a principal investigator, he has secured three AHRC-funded projects and two international fellowships at prestigious universities in France and Germany.

His research has been translated into seven languages, and he has delivered keynote speeches globally.

Jim has published more than twenty peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, two monographs, and is the editor of a three-volume work on anarchism and punk cultures.

He has significantly contributed to Ulster’s academic community by organising conferences, workshops, and supporting PhD students, including supervising his first successful PhD completion.

His AHRC-funded ethnographic projects, researching in collaboration with global punk cultures and urban sports scenes, have impactful social relevance.

Jim’s exceptional grant success, securing over £370K in the last four years, demonstrates his value to Ulster.

His scholarly output and community engagement make him an invaluable asset to the university.

Dr Judith Wylie is a Chartered Accountant who completed a part-time PhD on "Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Communication Strategies in Irish Listed Companies," graduating in 2020.

Her research has positioned her as a leader in sustainability and corporate responsibility, with invitations to deliver keynote speeches, seminars, and join panels for organisations like CIMA, Invest Northern Ireland, and the Institute of Directors.

Dr Wylie has published 17 scholarly outputs, including high-impact articles in top journals, and advised the Financial Conduct Authority on sustainability integration.

She has presented at major conferences and has expanded her academic network, joining committees to promote sustainability in research.

Additionally, she has mentored PhD students, been awarded an Early Career Research Bursary, and led initiatives at Ulster University to promote sustainable business practices.

As a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Dr Wylie adopts a research-led approach in teaching and mentoring future researchers in sustainability and CSR.

Dr. Atefeh Golbang is a leading researcher in advanced materials and manufacturing.

Her groundbreaking work on additive manufacturing of high-performance nanocomposites, in collaboration with Exeter University and Spirit AeroSystems, has enhanced efficiency and reduced costs for aerospace applications.

In the £4.8M North West Centre for Advanced Manufacturing project, she led innovative research on process simulation and development of craniofacial implants.

Dr. Golbang also spearheads sustainable antifouling strategies for zero-emission maritime transport through the Proof of Principle (POP) Scheme and £3M Artemis SIP project.

She has led the establishment of a new state-of-the-art biofilm analysis laboratory in the School of Engineering at Ulster University and contributed to revitalising Northern Ireland’s textile heritage through projects focused on biocomposites and sustainability.

Her work plays a key role in leading innovation, sustainability, and advanced manufacturing in Northern Ireland and across the world.

Dr. Dermot Kerr is a world-leading researcher in robotics, computer vision, and artificial intelligence, with a focus on cognitive robotics, mobile robotics, system identification, and biologically inspired vision.

His extensive research output includes 150 publications, 44 journal papers, and an h-index of 16, with his work cited over 1,400 times.

Dr. Kerr's contributions span 14 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), showcasing the real-world relevance of his research.

In 2024, he published seven high-impact journal papers, reinforcing his global standing.

He has significantly contributed to industrial digitalisation, technology transfer, and community engagement, with over £1 million in Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs).

As co-investigator for the Smart Manufacturing Data Hub project, he supports over 230 UK companies with digitalisation.

Dr. Kerr also excels in mentorship, supervising multiple PhD students and postdoctoral researchers.

His research has secured £17M in funding, underlining his leadership and sustained impact in his field.

Dr. Kyle Matchett’s research focuses on understanding the molecular pathways altered by pathogenic drivers in childhood and adult acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and targeting these using synthetic lethality and rational drug strategies.

Since joining Ulster University (UU) in October 2018, he has been awarded over £1M in funding, including grants from Novartis, UKRI, Little Princess Trust, and Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG).

Dr. Matchett is UU Lead on the €4M Strand III Higher Education Academy (HEA) North-South Award to the All-Island Cancer Research Institute (AICRI) and Co-Investigator on the £7M BBSRC-NERC Doctoral Landscape Award (NILab), set to begin in October 2025.

He collaborates with several national and international centres of excellence, including Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York.

Dr. Matchett is a member of the Research Advisory Group for CCLG, Scientific Advisory Board for Children’s Cancer Research Fund (CCRF), and Steering Committee for AICRI.

Dr Karen Bonner is a Principal Economist at the Economic Policy Centre (EPC); she leads research on entrepreneurship and SME growth in Northern Ireland, providing evidence-based analysis for key stakeholders such as the Department for the Economy and Invest NI.

Her research has significantly impacted policy, notably through a report on start-up support, which led to the creation of “Go Succeed,” a £10M business support service funded by the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund.

Dr Bonner has also led high-profile projects featured in major media and presented findings to the NI Assembly’s Committee for the Economy.

She developed the Enterprise Dashboard, a pioneering tool providing insights into NI’s business landscape, supported by stakeholders like the Federation of Small Businesses and Grant Thornton.

Dr Bonner's collaborations include projects such as the €4M Atlantic Futures Project and the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor.

She has published in top-tier journals, and her work has earned her appointments to the Steering Committee for the Shared Island Research Programme and Antrim and Newtownabbey’s Local Enterprise Partnership.

Professor Maurice Mulvenna specialises in research on artificial intelligence, data analytics, and interdisciplinary research in mental health and wellbeing with colleagues in psychology and nursing.

Since 1990, he has secured significant research funding, including £12M directly benefiting the university and contributing to over £55 million in total project funds.

His research, spanning over 500 peer-reviewed publications, has a notable impact on mental health areas, including research-based innovations like the Inspire Wellbeing digital hub and the InspireD reminiscence app.

Maurice’s work has impacted suicide prevention and dementia care, with funding from the NHS, the UK Research Councils, community and voluntary sector organisations, and charities.

He has also led successful Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and helped develop AI-driven mental health services through Pneuma Healthcare, serving over 8,000 clients.

A key mentor and supervisor, Maurice has helped numerous PhD researchers and contributed to Ulster's research culture, securing over £800K annually through research income.

Mary Ward is a registered Dietitian and Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at Ulster University, where she holds a PhD in Nutritional Biochemistry.

Mary is a globally recognised scientist in nutrition and an exceptional leader, serving as the President of the Nutrition Society of the UK and Ireland (2023–2026).

She leads a cross-faculty team at Ulster University in the £32M Research Ireland Co-Centre for Sustainable Food Systems.

Mary’s research focuses on the impact of diet, particularly B-vitamins, in preventing chronic diseases, with a particular interest in cardiovascular disease including hypertension.

Her work has led to influential publications, patents, and international collaborations.

She has secured over £7M in grant income, including from government, industry, and EU sources.

Mary’s research has shaped health policies and generated commercial partnerships, notably with DSM-Firmenich.

She has supervised 25 PhD students, who have gone on to successful careers in academia, health promotion, and the food industry, and is passionate about mentoring early career research staff and PhD students, fostering the development of future leaders in nutrition.

Since joining Ulster University Business School in 2004, Professor Trevor Cadden has risen through the ranks to become a Professor in Operations in 2023, establishing himself as a world-class researcher.

His research focuses on operations, teaching, and applied business practices, with over 30 internationally excellent research outputs, more than 1,500 citations, and over 12,000 views.

Professor Cadden has secured £14.9 million in external funding for over 30 projects.

As a leader, he developed innovative executive education programmes and co-founded an Employers' Skills Forum, both of which earned Ulster University Distinguished Education Excellence Awards.

Professor Cadden has led multi-million-pound projects, such as SMART ICT solutions for rural communities (€3.5Mn) for Ulster, and has made significant contributions to policy shaping, including advising the NI Food Strategy and leading the UK-wide National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise.

His leadership has expanded the MBA programme, significantly increasing student numbers and non-MASN Income.

Since 2014, Prof Gráinne McKeever has significantly expanded the Law School's focus from transitional justice to social justice, building a critical mass of scholars in the UK.

Her leadership in research, evidenced by generating £1.46m in funding and world-class research outputs, helped propel the Law School to success in REF2021.

Gráinne played a key role in securing a £4.1m AHRC grant to establish the Centre for People’s Justice, positioning Ulster University as a leading centre for socio-legal research.

She has been instrumental in advancing social security law and access to justice, with influential contributions to policy and practice, including through her role on the UK Social Security Advisory Committee.

Her pioneering research on litigants in person has led to impactful changes in the justice system.

Gráinne has also developed postgraduate opportunities, supervised numerous PhD students to completion, and gained international recognition, serving as a visiting scholar and keynote speaker worldwide.

Professor Lynsey Hollywood has made significant contributions to the development of PhD researchers through the Food and Drink Business Research Centre.

Since 2012, she has supervised seven PhD researchers to completion, with two winning awards for best thesis, and currently supervises seven researchers.

Her supervision style combines mentorship with skill development, focusing on professional growth.

Prof. Hollywood encourages researchers to collaborate with local businesses and government organisations, addressing food innovation, marketing, and food poverty, with PhD research supporting over 50 local businesses.

She has developed two new research labs, the Consumer Insight Lab, and co-led the development of the Market Intelligence Lab, to support data analysis and decision-making.

She has fostered international collaborations, creating world-class supervisory teams, and has contributed to sustainability initiatives and research community building.

She empowers researchers and creates an inclusive environment for all academic stages.

The Connected Health Innovation Centre (CHIC), launched in 2013, builds on research in healthcare sensor systems and medical informatics.

Its goal is to foster innovation in healthcare technology through collaboration with local industry.

Supported by £8M in funding from InvestNI over 11 years, CHIC worked with 70 companies and a team of 23 researchers to deliver 73 industry-led projects.

CHIC’s outputs contributed to the REF2021 submission, including peer-reviewed publications and impact case studies, while helping develop new products and generating revenue for member companies.

The Centre also created an ecosystem within the School of Engineering and the School of Computing, expanding research in healthcare.

This led to £65M in additional funding for complementary projects and played a key role in the £43M Belfast Region City Deal project, the Centre for Digital Healthcare Technologies (CDHT).

The Connected Health Innovation Centre (CHIC) Team

• Professor Chris Nugent
• Professor Jim McLaughlin
• Dr Ian Cleland
• Dr Paul McCullagh
• Dr Frederico Cruciani
• Dr Paul Beaney
• Catherine Saunders
• Dr Sara McNamee
• Dr Gennady Lubarsky
• Dr Min Jing
• Ann Blair

The “Bio-D project” is an interdisciplinary project involving ten academic researchers across three faculties, which has partnered with industry and other stakeholders to develop an innovative agri-technology solution for sustainably increasing vitamin D in food.

Over 8 years, the project has supported three PhD researchers, produced 20 outputs, and secured over £440,000 in funding.

Its novel biofortification strategy aim to enhance the vitamin D content of commonly consumed foods, improving health and driving economic growth by fostering innovation and creating new market opportunities.

As a result of the team’s strong research portfolio and track record with the agri-food sector, their research has engaged stakeholders including representatives from local Government, DAERA, Agri-Search, AFBI and local industries as a critical part of the growth deal bid development for the Centre for Food and Drug Discovery (CFDD).

Bio-D Project Team

• Dr Kirsty Pourshahidi
• Professor Chris Gill
• Dr Stephen Gallagher
• Dr Debbie Rankin
• Dr Lynsey Hollywood
• Dr Fahad Ahmed
• Dr Ruth Price
• Dr Emily Royle
• Dr Erika Rosbotham
• Emma-Jayne Frazer