ProfessorPaul Fanning

I am a Full Professor and currently the UCD International Dean for China and Provost of UCD’s three joint international colleges in China:

i) the Beijing-Dublin International College at Beijing University of Technology (BDIC),
ii) the Chang’an Dublin International College of Transportation at Chang'an University (CDIC) and,
iii) the Guangzhou-Dublin International College of Life Sciences & Technology at South China Agricultural University (GDIC).

Previously, 2017-2019, I was UCD Deputy Vice President for Global Engagement and shared responsibility for the delivery of UCD’s Global Engagement Strategy. In this role I chaired the Global Engagement Board of Studies which provides academic oversight and governance for all UCD academic programmes under the remit of the UCD Applied Language Centre and the UCD Irish Institute for Chinese Studies.

I am a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Engineers of Ireland. A graduate of the UCD School of Civil Engineering I returned to UCD as an academic staff member in 1996 having completed my PhD, at the University of Surrey (UK), and five years working as a consultant engineer in industry.

My PhD research, focusing on deployable antenna systems for use in space, provided the foundation for my ongoing research in the areas of structural assessment and condition monitoring using vibration response data. I am internationally recognised for my work on masonry arch bridges while most recently I have concentrated on issues relating to vibration serviceability of lightweight structural systems due to human induced loading.

Prior to 2017 I have been Research Group Director, Head of Teaching & Learning and Programmes Coordinator in the School of Civil Engineering and Deputy Vice-Principal for Internationalisation in the College of Engineering and Architecture.