Abstract: Ireland’s Science and Innovation ecosystem has impressively grown in the last two decades. Eurostats considers Ireland the most R&D efficient country in Europe, generating more innovation output per euro of public funds invested than any other country. In Horizon 2020 Ireland has won more competitive funding [>€1.25bn] than its contribution to the framework’s budget. Irish Research Centres have a strong engagement with industry stakeholders, which is a fundamental contribution to the funding model and the economic sustainability of the Centres, as well as boosting the impact of R&D projects by implementing their outcomes in real-world settings.

About the speaker: Dr Dolores Melgar-Freire moved to Ireland in 2017 as an Irish Research Council postdoctoral fellowship in collaboration with an industry partner. After that, she joined Science Foundation Ireland (the largest STEM research funder in the country) and worked in the International Division, where she contributed to the international footprint of Ireland-based scientists. At her current role as a Funding Development Coordinator at Insight, the SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics, she strategically works with the researchers to secure funding from international sources to ensure the Non-Exchequer Non-Commercial funding targets of the Centre are met. Her career pathway in Ireland, from fundamental research to science policy and management, gives Dr Melgar-Freire a privileged perspective of the Science Innovation landscape in the country to walk us through the main Irish R&D key players, funding mechanisms and opportunities for collaboration.

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