Ian Blair

Professor Blair holds an Honours degree in Environmental Health from the Ulster Polytechnic and a PhD from the University of Ulster.

He began his post-PhD academic career in the University of Ulster in 1989. He developed an extensive publication record in the area of microbiology and was awarded a personal research chair as Professor of Microbiology in 2005.

He was a key member of the Subjects Allied to Medicine UoA 11a, which was awarded a 5* rating in the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 2001. He was included in the Agriculture, Veterinary and Food Science RAE 2008 University of Ulster submission.

He has published extensively (123 peer reviewed publications to date) in a wide range of journals from high impact factor peer reviewed journals to professional journals in the microbiology area. During his research career, he has been awarded more than £1.2 million in externally funded grant income.

Ian was the Head of the School of Health Sciences at the University of Ulster, where he handled significant leadership responsibilities for a wide range of Allied Health Professions, while also developing and maintaining teaching and research programmes.

Ian joined the University in September 2007 as the Dean of the Faculty of Health. He was successfully reappointed to the Executive Dean post in the Faculty of Health in February 2008.

As Executive Dean, Ian is responsible for providing strong academic and strategic leadership in education, research, enterprise and professional practice together with the effective people, operational and financial management. He firmly believes in ensuring our students have the best educational experience possible and is keen to ensure that the Faculty’s links with clinical colleagues are maintained and reinforced.

He has quickly developed effective working relationships with colleagues externally in local foundation trusts and other branches of the NHS and private health care and the RCDM. He wishes to promote and develop the areas of common interest to create a stronger mutually beneficial relationship between the organisations.