Notre Dame Global has appointed Eimear Clowry Delaney as the Michael J. Smurfit Director of Notre Dame Dublin, and she officially assumed the role on July 1. Kevin Whelan, who has served as the inaugural director since 1998, will now shift his focus to teaching and research.

As the Michael J. Smurfit Director, Clowry Delaney will be responsible for implementing the University’s vision and global strategy in Ireland, deepening Notre Dame’s relationships with Ireland’s premier universities and institutions of culture, government and industry. She will continue to develop innovative education programs, research collaborations, partnerships and academic initiatives that strengthen the University’s position as a leader in value-based, experiential global education and research.

“I am excited to lead a dedicated team that serves our undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, visiting scholars and the wider Notre Dame family, and I am committed to deepening the connections between Ireland and Notre Dame,” Clowry Delaney said.

Clowry Delaney joined the University of Notre Dame in 2008 having previously held roles with University College Dublin and Massey University in New Zealand. A native of Tullow, County Carlow, in Ireland, she earned her bachelor’s degree in communication studies. She holds a master’s degree in nonprofit leadership and is undertaking her doctorate in education at Dublin City University.

Clowry Delaney has extensive experience leading experiential and community-engaged learning and research programs. She has developed novel pathways for students and scholars to engage with the Dublin community through internships, service programs, short immersions and research exchange. She established a new collaborative research program with Dublin City University focusing on climate, water and citizen science activism and a semester-long sustainability fellows program open to all Notre Dame students studying abroad, fostering agency toward social action, responsibility to place and global citizenship. Clowry Delaney represents Notre Dame on the Association of Study Abroad Providers in Ireland and the Climate Action Network for International Educators.

“Eimear is an outstanding leader in global education, and has developed immersive education programs and innovative research collaborations that are flourishing for the benefit of our students, faculty and the wider community. I am thrilled that she has become the Michael J. Smurfit Director at Notre Dame Dublin, and I am excited for her to bring her own expertise and vision to the role,” said Michael Pippenger, vice president and associate provost for internationalization.

Outside of Notre Dame, Clowry Delaney is active in her local community. She is the founding chairperson of Act Out Youth Theatre and a founding board member of a nature conservation initiative focused on biodiversity and care for our common home.

Notre Dame Dublin is part of the University of Notre Dame’s global network. Notre Dame Global oversees locations centered in Beijing; Dublin; Hong Kong; Jerusalem; Kylemore Abbey, Ireland; London; Mexico; Mumbai; Nairobi; Rome; Santiago; and São Paulo. These global locations create unique opportunities for Notre Dame to engage the world and the world to engage Notre Dame through scholarly collaboration, undergraduate and graduate study, as well as cooperative programs with governments, foundations, corporations, alumni, parents and friends of the University.

Originally published by Notre Dame Global at global.nd.edu on July 8.