Email Address: [email protected]
Laura Grehan is the Head of Education, Engagement and Societal Impact at ADAPT and a member of the ADAPT Executive Management Committee. A champion of research impact, AI literacy, and inclusive digital innovation, Laura specialises in bridging the gap between cutting-edge academic research and real-world societal transformation.
Under Laura’s leadership, ADAPT’s Education and Public Engagement (EPE) programme has received repeated international acclaim as “outstanding.” Since 2023, ADAPT EPE has secured more than €1.5M in competitive funding, and Laura’s team was recognised with a 2021 DCU President’s Staff Recognition Award. Laura is renowned for designing inclusive engagement formats that empower people of all backgrounds – from youth and the Deaf community to older adults – to participate as scientific citizens.
Central to Laura’s impact is the flagship #DiscussAI campaign. Since its inception in 2021, the initiative – described as “Ireland’s national conversation on Artificial Intelligence” – has enabled 85,000 members of the Irish public to hone critical AI literacy skills and deliberate on the future of AI alongside 170 ADAPT experts. In 2025, the European Commission cited #DiscussAI as a best practice in public engagement with science, and the initiative won the Media Literacy Ireland Award 2025 for ‘Best General Media Literacy Initiative.’ #DiscussAI has also been recognised by the Irish Government as instrumental in addressing the ‘AI and Society’ goals of Ireland’s national AI strategy.
#DiscussAI functions as a large-scale, nationwide, community-embedded collaboration network, established by Laura’s team to ensure AI in Ireland is fair, inclusive, and always puts people first. This network is central to her mission: ensuring Ireland’s AI-driven digital transformation is fair, equitable, and grounded in the needs of every citizen.
Laura’s career at ADAPT (formerly CNGL) began in 2010, following various marketing, communications, and STEM outreach roles in the university and non-profit sectors. She remains active in the international research community as a member of the European Association of Research Managers and Administrators (EARMA) thematic groups on Impact and Best Practice.
