Professor Yvonne Buckley honoured with Royal Irish Academy Gold Medal

An interdisciplinary researcher, Buckley advances fundamental scientific understanding while delivering practical solutions to climate and biodiversity challenges. Her work informs public policy, supports environmental management, and engages civic society.

Since joining Trinity in 2014 as Chair of Zoology, she has secured over €50 million in research funding as lead investigator. She is Co-Director of the new Co-Centre for Climate + Biodiversity + Water, leading more than 100 researchers across 14 institutions in Ireland and the UK, and also directs the AIB Trinity Climate Hub.

Buckley said she was “deeply honoured,” noting that her research explores how plant and animal populations function in a human‑dominated world: “It is a privilege to work with brilliant collaborators to understand and help address some of the world’s most urgent challenges.”

Her internationally influential work has expanded understanding of species rarity, over‑abundance, and the strategies plants and animals use to persist under global change. She has published over 150 peer‑reviewed papers with more than 18,000 citations and has supervised over 40 PhD and postdoctoral researchers, many of whom now hold significant roles across sectors.

Buckley has played a major role in shaping public policy, serving as Chair of the National Biodiversity Forum, a member of the Climate Change Advisory Council, and founding Co‑Chair of the All Island Climate and Biodiversity Research Network (2020–2024). She also engages the public through her monthly Irish Times science column and frequent media contributions.

Provost Linda Doyle congratulated Buckley, praising her “exceptional contributions to ecology and the public good” and highlighting her leadership in advancing Trinity’s Sustainability Strategy to address biodiversity loss and climate change.