Celebrating 40 Years of Research Excellence

Join our CEO, Professor William Scanlon, in celebrating 40 years of research excellence at Tyndall National Institute.

Now a leading European research Institute with ambitious plans to double over the next five years, Tyndall started as the National Microelectronics Research Centre (NMRC) in 1982. A small team at University College Cork, led by Professor Gerry Wrixon, provided microelectronics research and development, and specialised training facilities to attract semiconductor manufacturers to Ireland. 

Professor Wrixon quickly grew the NMRC to become the largest research centre in Ireland with a strong reputation for research excellence within Ireland and Europe. In 2004, a €50m investment from the Irish Government enabled growth and our expansion into new research areas, including photonics, with the construction of a new research facility with world-leading laboratories. The NMRC officially became Tyndall National Institute, named after internationally renowned scientist and Carlow native, John Tyndall.

We now host a research community of 600 researchers, engineers, industry personnel, graduate students and support staff who undertake cutting-edge research in electronics and photonics. Tyndall is now an acknowledged global leader in deep-tech – an important and expanding field of technology based on tangible engineering innovations and scientific advances.

Looking to the future, Professor Scanlon said,

“As we celebrate 40-years of ground-breaking research, I would like to thank our colleagues, students, partners, funders and alumni who helped make Tyndall the powerhouse it is today.  We continue to go from strength to strength, guided by our ambitious growth strategy, which includes substantial investment in a new facility on Cork’s North Mall and plans to double in size and impact. Our sights are firmly set on the next 40 years and beyond.”

We are extremely proud of our former staff and students who gained skills and experience at Tyndall and NMRC, over the last 40 years, before moving on to new adventures. We would like to include them in our 40-year celebrations, so if you were once part of our team, please join our Alumni Group on LinkedIn to receive up to date information on news and events.