Organisation profile
Overview of our Research
Plants and algae make up 80% of the Earth's living biomass and are a major source of medicines, foods, timber, fibres and many more natural products.
Botany provides us with the tools to understand the impacts of climate change, and the biodiversity crisis, and to conserve and sustainably exploit these resources.
Research themes of academic staff and their teams within the School of Natural Sciences include investigations into plant and algal biosciences, plant evolution, plant genetics, plant physiology, plant biochemistry, plant systems biology, and plant ecology.
Botany includes research areas relating to the environment including terrestrial systems, freshwater and marine aquatic systems, wetlands including bogs, fens and wet heaths, and the study of long-term environmental change and the sustainable and innovative use of plant and algal resources.
Botany at University of Galway is ideally located for botanical research in both marine and terrestrial plant science as we are located in close vicinity to unique, species-rich and near-pristine plant habitats including those in Connemara and the Burren, and an unspoilt and diverse coastline.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. Our work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 2 Zero Hunger -
SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 4 Quality Education -
SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation -
SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure -
SDG 13 Climate Action -
SDG 14 Life Below Water -
SDG 15 Life on Land
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Profiles
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Diversity of araucariacean pollen from the Lower Cretaceous Rio da Batateira and lower Crato formations (Araripe basin, SE Brazil), based on micromorphology of the ektexine using SEM
Hofmann, C.-C., Coiro, M., Heimhofer, U., Roberts, E. A. & Seyfullah, L. J., Feb 2026, In: Cretaceous Research.Research output: Contribution to a Journal (Peer & Non Peer) › Article › peer-review
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Hydrothermal influence reduces the nutritional quality of the Antarctic seaweed Monostroma hariotii (Chlorophyta)
Azcárate-García, T., Figuerola, B., Cara-Ortega, C. L., Martin-Martin, R., Beca-Carretero, P., Stengel, D. B. & Avila, C., Jun 2026, In: Marine Environmental Research.Research output: Contribution to a Journal (Peer & Non Peer) › Article › peer-review
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More diverse and abundant than assumed: Eucommiidites pollen preserved in a deltaic setting (Lower Cretaceous) of the Araripe Basin (NE Brazil)
Hofmann, C.-C., Heimhofer, U., Roberts, E. A. & Seyfullah, L. J., Feb 2026, In: Cretaceous Research.Research output: Contribution to a Journal (Peer & Non Peer) › Article › peer-review
Activities
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Aodhnait Heffernan
Stengel, D. B. (Primary Supervisor)
Mar 2026Activity: Other › Current Postgraduates (Research) Supervised
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Kaylim Reddy
Stengel, D. B. (Co-Supervisor)
2024 → …Activity: Other › Current Postgraduates (Research) Supervised
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Betty Villamayor
Stengel, D. B. (Primary Supervisor)
2024 → …Activity: Other › Current Postgraduates (Research) Supervised
Prizes
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KelpRes: the Diversity and Resilience of kelp ecosystems in Ireland
Schoenrock-Rossiter, K. (Recipient), 2018
Prize: Honorary award