Academic biography

Dr Breda Kiernan was appointed Chief Operations Officer of the Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics in October 2022 and is responsible for Insight’s day-to-day administrative operations including coordinating site-level and central activities. She ensures the delivery of operational goals and objectives, including Strategic Planning, Financial Management, Stakeholder Engagement, Communications and EPE activities. She is also an active management coach and mentor.

The Insight Centre is composed of 8 institutions across Ireland with 450 researchers, more than 220 industry partners and over €150 m in funding. Dr Kiernan joined Insight in May 2016 as Centre Manager for Insight@DCU. She formerly managed the strategic partnership, “Transatlantic Higher Education Partnership” between Dublin City University and Arizona State University, (largest public university in the United States) (2013-2016). Prior to this, she was Business Coordinator for a Financial Services consultancy and training company in Dublin (2011-2013).

She graduated from the University of Bradford with a PhD. in Analytical Chemistry (2006), from National University Ireland, Dublin with a BBS. in Business Studies with Accounting in 2013, from Dublin City University with MSc. in Work and Organisation Behaviour (2021). She is also a qualified coach with a Diploma in Personal and Business Coaching from ILI/ICF (2023).