Patrick Gerald McKenna, DL, FIBMS, FRSB, MRIA (born 10 December 1953), known informally and widely as Gerry McKenna, is a Chartered Biologist (CBiol, 1982) and

Chartered Scientist Chartered Scientist (CSci) is a professional qualification in the United Kingdom that is awarded by the Science Council through its Licensed member organisations. Holders of this qualification can use the post-nominal letters CSci. Chartered scie ...

(CSci, 2006) from

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

. Professor McKenna is most well known for his long affiliation with the

University of Ulster sco, Ulstèr Universitie , image = Ulster University coat of arms.png , caption = , motto_lang = , mottoeng = , latin_name = Universitas Ulidiae , established = 1865 – Magee College 1953 - Magee Un ...

Coleraine Coleraine ( ; from ga, Cúil Rathain , 'nook of the ferns'Flanaghan, Deirdre & Laurence; ''Irish Place Names'', page 194. Gill & Macmillan, 2002. ) is a town and civil parish near the mouth of the River Bann in County Londonderry, Northern I ...

, where he was honoured with the Freedom of the Borough of Coleraine and as Coleraine Business Person of the Year, as well as being appointed Deputy Lieutenant and later Vice

Lord Lieutenant A lord-lieutenant ( ) is the British monarch's personal representative in each lieutenancy area of the United Kingdom. Historically, each lieutenant was responsible for organising the county's militia. In 1871, the lieutenant's responsibility ...

for

County Londonderry County Londonderry ( Ulster-Scots: ''Coontie Lunnonderrie''), also known as County Derry ( ga, Contae Dhoire), is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the thirty two counties of Ireland and one of the nine counties of Ulster. B ...

University of Ulster leadership

During McKenna's successive tenures as founding Director of the Biomedical Sciences Research Centre, Head of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Dean of Science, Pro Vice Chancellor (Research), and finally Vice Chancellor/President of the University of Ulster, the university became the foremost provider of healthcare programs (both undergraduate and postgraduate), and was top-ranked for research (5*) in Biomedical Sciences and Celtic Studies in the UK, one of only 20 universities to have two 5* ratings. It also became the largest university on the island of Ireland. The university rose to 27th in Quality Research Funding (research power) in the UK and was shortlisted for Sunday Times University of the Year. McKenna has strongly promoted social inclusion, most notably via the acclaimed 'Step Up' program for school pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. He also established a range of e-learning programs via Campus One.

Founder or co-founder

*Heads of University Centres of Biomedical Sciences (HUCBMS) * Universities Ireland *US-Ireland R&D Partnership. *Irish Universities Nutrition Alliance (IUNA) *

Catalyst Inc Catalyst, formerly known as the Northern Ireland Science Park, was established in March 1999 to create a self-sustaining, internationally recognised, knowledge-based science park in Northern Ireland offering a commercial and research driven centr ...

(formerly

Northern Ireland Science Park Catalyst, formerly known as the Northern Ireland Science Park, was established in March 1999 to create a self-sustaining, internationally recognised, knowledge-based science park in Northern Ireland offering a commercial and research driven centr ...

) *

Benburb Benburb ()) is a village and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It lies 7.5 miles from Armagh and 8 miles from Dungannon. The River Blackwater runs alongside the village as does the Ulster Canal. History It is best known, in his ...

Priory Library & Museum *

Priory Ltd *Order of Mary Servite Trust *Celtic Academies Alliance

Affiliations and honours

* Chair, Health Technology and Informatics Advisory Committee; Biomedical Sciences Advisor;

Hong Kong Polytechnic University The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is a public research university located in Hung Hom, Hong Kong near Hung Hom station. The University is one of the eight government-funded degree-granting tertiary institutions in Hong Kong. Founded ...

* Chair, Management Board of the Benburb Servite Priory Library and Museum * Chair, Benburb Priory Ltd * Chair, Board of Order of Mary Servite Trust and Chair of Finance Committee * Member,

Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) is the independent body that checks on standards and quality in UK higher education. It conducts quality assessment reviews, develops reference points and guidance for providers, and condu ...

Benchmarking Working Groups for Biosciences and Biomedical Sciences * Member, Advisory Committee, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University * Member, International Advisory Board,

University of Kufa The University of Kufa is one of Iraqi universities located in Kufa, Iraq. It was founded on December 23, 1987 of only two faculties; Education for Women and Medicine. Worthy mentioned that the Faculty of Medicine was established roughly a decad ...

* Chair, Universities Ireland * Keys to the City of

Portland, Maine Portland is the largest city in the U.S. state of Maine and the seat of Cumberland County. Portland's population was 68,408 in April 2020. The Greater Portland metropolitan area is home to over half a million people, the 104th-largest metropol ...

* Honoree, Harvard Friends of Celtic Studies and the Flax Trust America, New York City * Honorary Doctorates,

National University of Ireland The National University of Ireland (NUI) ( ga, Ollscoil na hÉireann) is a federal university system of ''constituent universities'' (previously called ''university college, constituent colleges'') and ''recognised colleges'' set up under t ...

(NUI) and

Queen's University Belfast , mottoeng = For so much, what shall we give back? , top_free_label = , top_free = , top_free_label1 = , top_free1 = , top_free_label2 = , top_free2 = , established = , closed = , type = Public research university , parent = ...

* Chair, Northern Ireland Foresight, Life and Health Technologies Panel * Chair, Independent Advisory Group, Doctoral Training Alliance * Co-chair, Royal Irish Academy Brexit Taskforce * Chair, Royal Irish Academy, North-South Standing Committee * Chair, Royal Irish Academy, Higher Education Futures Taskforce * Senior Vice President, Vice President, Member, Member of Council,

Royal Irish Academy The Royal Irish Academy (RIA; ga, Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann), based in Dublin, is an academic body that promotes study in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is Ireland's premier List of Irish learned societies, learned socie ...

* President, President Emeritus, Hon Executive Secretary, Heads of University Centres of Biomedical Sciences (HUCBMS) * Vice

for County Londonderry

External links

Website
Professor P. G. (Gerry) McKenna - Home

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mckenna, Gerry 1953 births Date of birth missing (living people) Academics from Northern Ireland Educators from Northern Ireland Scientists from Northern Ireland Vice-Chancellors of Ulster University People from County Londonderry Deputy Lieutenants of Londonderry Members of the Royal Irish Academy Fellows of the Royal Society of Biology Living people 20th-century educators from Northern Ireland 21st-century educators from Northern Ireland