Taoiseach to launch Bernal Institute

An Taoiseach Enda Kenny will officially launch the Bernal Institute at the University of Limerick on Monday November 21st.

The €86 million institute is named after Nenagh scientist John Desmond Bernal (1901-1971). Its focus will be the generation of real impact in the areas of advanced materials, manufacturing and process engineering, and fluid dynamics.

Six of the world’s leading scientists in their fields have been appointed as Bernal Chairs to date. They include the world’s first Professor of Crystal Engineering, Professor Michael Zaworotko. There are also Bernal Chairs of Fluid Mechanics, Microscopy and Imaging, Pharmaceutical Powder Engineering, Composite Material, and Biomedical Engineering.

The Bernal Institute has 200 members, including academic staff and researchers. There are more than 70 industrial partnerships connected through the Bernal Project, with more than €25 million in external research funding secured by the Bernal Chairs to date.

The institute is named after JD Bernal, who was born in Nenagh and lived at the Brook Watson estate on the Borrisokane road. A leading international scientist, he specialised in crystallography and molecular physics. He was also a lecturer in science and politics, and an ardent peace campaigner who was involved in the foundation of UNESCO.