Ms McKeon-Bennett received her Degree in Analytical Chemistry with Quality Assurance from Cork Institute of Technology and completed her MSc in Biochemistry and Enzymology in the University of Limerick; she is currently completing her Ph.D. thesis in Wetland Ecology and Hydroponics. Ms McKeon-Bennett currently holds the position of Head of Department of Applied Science at LIT with responsibility for all aspects of departmental functioning, strategic development and future growth. From September 2003 to August 2004 Ms. McKeon-Bennett was seconded to NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre (KSC) to work in collaboration with a number of specialist scientists including Dr. Gary Stutte on investigating the application of Sphagnum moss to Controlled Environment Life Sciences. Upon her return, she continued and developed the relationship with KSC by sending 3 science graduates each year to train as interns with Dr. Stutte and his fellow scientists. As a result of these students returning to Ireland with specialist training, Ms. McKeon-Bennett founded the CELLS Research Group to support & supervise them as postgraduates and secured funding from Enterprise Ireland for Environmental Growth Chambers identical to those in the Space Life Science Laboratory in KSC. Since taking up the post as Head of Department in 2005 she has overseen the development of 9 new undergraduate programmes across the five major disciplines within the Department and 1 postgraduate taught programme. Since 2009 she has acted as an Assessor for IRCSET on both the INSPIRE and EMBARK research grant programmes and an advisor to the IOTI on IRCSET funding.

  Biochemistry and Enzymology