Professor Patrick O'Shea is a distinguished academic leader who has spearheaded university-driven economic development across Maryland and Ireland. He currently serves as Vice President and Chief Research Officer for the joint University of Maryland, College Park and Baltimore enterprise, overseeing a $1.5 billion-per-year research portfolio that ranks as the leading public institution in the Northeast, according to the latest NSF Higher Education Research and Development Survey.
O'Shea was instrumental in launching the "MPowering the State" strategic partnership between UMD’s College Park and Baltimore campuses, which has helped significantly expand the state's innovation and commercialization capabilities. He also played a role in founding major economic and research engines, including the Maryland Innovation Initiative, UMVentures, the Maryland NanoCenter, and the Maryland Cybersecurity Center, and in the lead-up to the launch of IonQ, a leading quantum computing company. He is a member of the Senior Research Officer Steering Committee of the Association of American Universities.
O'Shea served as the 15th President of University College Cork in his native Ireland. During his tenure there, he served as Chair of the Irish Universities Association, advocating for the role of higher education in driving national economic growth, and commissioned reports highlighting the significant economic impact of Irish universities.
His leadership in diverse areas has been recognized with fellowships in the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Physical Society, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the Irish Academy of Engineering, and the Royal Society for the Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce.
O'Shea continues to champion translating cutting-edge research into tangible benefits for the community.
His hobbies and interests include running, cycling, orienteering, geography, and history.
