Tuesday, 1 July 2014

Professor Michael Zaworotko, Bernal Chair of Crystal Engineering at the University of Limerick has been ranked among the world’s top 1% highly cited researchers displaying exceptional impact. Only three thousand researchers earned the distinction by writing the greatest numbers of reports officially designated by Essential Science Indicators℠ as Highly Cited Papers—ranking among the top 1% most cited for their subject field and year of publication. 

Bernal Chair of Crystal Engineering, Professor Zaworotko is among the top 20 research chemists in the world. Professor Zaworotko also recently secured the first award under the re-launched Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Research Professor programme.

Professor Zaworotko is in demand as a consultant to several major pharmaceutical companies many of whom have supported his research. He is a Member of UTEK Corporation’s Scientific Advisory Council, Member of Thar Pharmaceuticals Scientific Advisory Board and a Member of Alkermes Scientific Advisory Board. He holds six patents and a further 10 are pending.

Professor Zaworotko joined UL as part of the Bernal Project, a €52 million initiative to enhance Science and Engineering which involves the recruitment of 10 world leading professors, a start-up seed fund to support their teaching and research activity and the construction of a new advanced research building on campus.  The Bernal Project’ will make a significant contribution to Ireland’s national research initiatives in the strategically important areas of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Energy Research and Development. Named after influential 20th century Irish scientist, John Desmond Bernal who was regarded as the founding father of molecular biology, the project outlines a detailed plan to enhance research excellence in the fields of pharmaceutical science and engineering; energy and sustainable environment; modern and biomedical materials and engineering. Find out more about The Bernal Project.