Northern Arizona University President John Haeger is in Ireland this week with a delegation of leaders from the state’s educational, research, philanthropic and business communities for a first-hand look at Science Foundation Ireland—the model for a similar biosciences enterprise in Arizona.
Science Foundation Arizona was established this year to advance Arizona’s competitiveness in the medical, biotechnology and engineering fields. The non-profit organization is funded by the private and public sectors. William Harris, founding director of Science Foundation Ireland, was named president and CEO of the Arizona organization.
On the trip to Ireland, Haeger joins representatives from the Greater Flagstaff Economic Council, Translational Genomics Institute, Arizona State University, University of Arizona, Rodel Foundation, Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, Flinn Foundation and Pinnacle West Capital Corp. The group also will be visiting Dublin City University, Trinity College and Ireland’s National Parliament. They also will meet with members of Ireland’s business and research communities, including the Royal Irish Academy.