LONDON, UK, February 7, 2022 – Laidlaw Foundation announced today that Linda Doyle, the 45th Provost & President of Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, will be joining the Laidlaw Foundation Board of Trustees.

Professor Doyle is the first woman to hold the role of Provost in the University’s 430-year history. She has held the role of Vice President for Research and was the founding Director of CONNECT – Ireland’s national telecommunications research centre. Professor Doyle has been Chair of the Douglas Hyde Gallery and is also Chair of the Ofcom Spectrum Advisory Board.

The Laidlaw Foundation invests in the education of the underprivileged and underrepresented in order to break the cycle of poverty, reduce inequality and develop a new generation of leaders. It is an active sponsor of the Laidlaw Schools Trust, a growing MAT in the NE of England which, now has seven schools, two of which are judged Outstanding and a Teaching and Leadership centre to create a pipeline of teachers for the North East.

Fourteen of the world’s top universities along with the London Business School and Oxford’s Saïd Business School benefit from Scholarships funded by the Foundation. There are now over 1000 Laidlaw Scholars in a global network of ethical, next generation leaders. 

Lord Laidlaw commented “We are delighted to welcome Professor Doyle to our Board of Trustees. I have been a strong supporter of Trinity College Dublin and its work for many years. Adding Professor’s Doyle’s vision and passion for accessible education to our Board will help us build our programmes and strengthen our global impact. I am very much looking forward to working with her.”

Linda Doyle added: “The Laidlaw Foundation’s focus on using the power of education to break the cycle of poverty resonates deeply with me. Here, in Trinity College Dublin, we do this in many ways through a variety of access initiatives. I look forward to supporting the work of the Laidlaw Foundation as it strives to reduce inequality and develop the next generation of global leaders.”

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About Linda Doyle

Linda Doyle is the 45th Provost & President of Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin. In August 2021, she began her ten-year tenure in this role after serving as Trinity’s Vice President for Research.

As Professor of Engineering & the Arts in Trinity, Linda’s research expertise is in the fields of wireless communications, cognitive radio, reconfigurable networks, spectrum management and creative arts practices. She was the founding Director of CONNECT – the world leading Science Foundation Ireland research centre for future networks and communications, She has raised over €70 million in research funding in the past decade and published widely in her field.

Linda has advocated for change in spectrum management practices and has played a role in spectrum policy at national and international levels. Currently, she is Chair of the Ofcom Spectrum Advisory Board in the UK. She has been a passionate advocate for women in STEM and has been involved in several programmes to encourage wider access to third-level education.

Dr Doyle holds an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering (B.E.) from University College Cork, and an M.Sc., Ph.D., and P.G.DIP. STATS from Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin. She is a Fellow of Trinity College Dublin.

About the Laidlaw Foundation

The Laidlaw Foundation invests in the education of the underprivileged and underrepresented in order to break the cycle of poverty, reduce inequality and develop a new generation of leaders. Our funding supports four core programmes: 

  • Sponsoring the Laidlaw Schools Trust – a growing, Multi-Academy Trust in the North East of England, providing inspirational education to transform lives,
  • Developing a new generation of diverse leaders who embrace research-based decision making and ethical leadership through our Laidlaw Scholars Leadership and Research programme at the world’s leading universities,
  • Ensuring more women reach the C-Suite by providing MBA scholarships at London Business School and Oxford University’s Saïd Business School
  • Funding the start-up ideas of Laidlaw Scholars by investing in their business through Laidlaw Scholars Ventures.

To learn more, visit laidlawfoundation.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. 

Media Contact

Kayla Kim: kayla.kim@laidlawfoundation.com