Prof. Looney is Executive Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Computing in Dublin City University, and a member of the senior management group of the university. Her disciplinary background is mechanical engineering. She undertook her PhD in the Netherlands, and has also worked as a researcher in New Zealand. Her research expertise includes areas of materials processing, particularly biomaterials. She has a strong publication record, and is a very experienced doctoral supervisor and research examiner. Lisa was Dean of Graduate Studies in DCU from 2011-2016, during which time she was active in the European Universities Association Council for Doctoral Education, and took a leadership role in drafting the Irish National Framework for Doctoral Education

Prof. Looney has specific expertise in collaborative provision of academic programmes, internationalisation of programmes, and has a long track record of activity relating to attracting, retaining, and examining the career experience of women in technology based professions.