Dr Frances Hardiman holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Production Engineering and a PhD in Manufacturing Engineering from the University of Limerick. Before transitioning to academia in 2008, she worked as a senior manufacturing engineer in the automotive electronics industry. Currently, she is a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of Engineers Ireland, and a Fellow of the Irish Academy of Engineers.
Dr Hardiman previously served as Head of Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering at Limerick Institute of Technology and is currently Head (Carlow) of Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment at South East Technological University (SETU). She is actively involved in SETU's governance, contributing to its Academic Council, Research Committee, Commercialisation & Innovation Committee and Finance & Capital Investment Committee.
Externally, she chairs the Technological Higher Educational Association (THEA) Heads of Engineering group and co-founded the "Engineering the South East" cluster, supporting SMEs in the region. She also serves on national forums, including the Government Offshore Wind Taskforce and the Higher Education Apprenticeship Forum. Her expertise spans higher education, engineering, and workforce development, with a focus on advancing innovation and skills in Ireland's engineering and industrial sectors.
