Patrick Johnston (vice-chancellor)

Patrick Johnston FMedSci is the current vice-chancellor and President of Queen's University Belfast. He took office on March 1, 2014.^[1] He is also a leading expert in cancer research.^[2][3]

Background

Johnston is originally from the Waterside area of Derry. He attended St. Columb's College and obtained a MB BCh with distinction from University College Dublin.^[4] He is married with four grown up sons and one grandson.

Career

He began his career at Queen's in 1996, when he was appointed Professor of Oncology. Prior to his appointment as vice-chancellor he was Dean of the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences. In 2007 he led the development of a new international Medical School at Queen’s and the Institute of Health Sciences. Prior to these he was the Director of the Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology at the University.

Johnston was made chair of the Translational Research Group of the Medical Research Council (MRC) in 2012. He received the 2013 International Bob Pinedo Cancer Care Prize for his work in translating^[5] discovery science for the benefit of cancer patients. He also serves on the Cancer Research UK (CR-UK) Science Executive/Advisory Board. Johnston is also a founder of Almac Diagnostics, which is based in Craigavon and the Society for Translational Oncology in Durham, North Carolina.

He is a fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (appointed 2012) and the National Cancer Institute (appointed 1987). He was made a senior investigator at the NCI in 1991. In 2012 he was awarded the Diamond Jubilee Queen’s Anniversary Prize, for his leadership at the University’s Comprehensive Cancer Centre.^[4]

Johnston has a vision for Queen's as a world class international university that supports outstanding students and staff, working in world class facilities, conducting leading-edge education and research, focused on the needs of society. This vision has been challenged by some as 'marketisation', contrary to the nature of the university as a seat of culture, learning, open-mindedness and free speech. On 20 April 2015, Johnston cancelled a conference that was to be held on 'Understanding Charlie: New perspectives on contemporary citizenship after Charlie Hebdo', citing his worries regarding 'security risks' and 'the reputation of the university'. This was criticised as censoring an academic forum on the subject of free speech.^[6] After consideration, the conference proceeded.^[7]

Johnston caused controversy again in May 2016, when he commented in an interview that 'society doesn't need a 21-year-old who is a sixth century historian'.^[8] Johnston's reasoning—that what society needs instead is 'a 21-year-old who really understands how to analyse things, understands the tenets of leadership and contributing to society, who is a thinker and someone who has the potential to help drive society forward' - was challenged across parts of his own university and a number of institutions and individuals internationally. It was covered across several media, including Twitter,^[9][10][11] the Guardian, Historytoday.com, sluggerotoole.com, the Irish News, the BBC, Insidehighered.com, and several others. Johnston apologised,^[12] saying his comments were 'misunderstood', although several students graduating in 2016 refused to shake the VC's hand at the ceremony.^[13]

References