Dr Paul Bolger is Manager of the Environmental Research Institute at University College Cork, Ireland. He has a BSc Degree in Environmental Science, holds a PhD in Chemistry, and a Masters in Business Administration. He has worked across academia, industry and government for over 25 years developing long term research solutions for global sustainability challenges.

Dr Bolger is interested in how inter- and trans-disciplinary approaches can be used to create more impactful outcomes for environmental and sustainability research. He is principal investigator on a number of research projects on climate change and the circular economy including Imagining 2050 (envisioning pathways for a zero carbon Ireland), NEWTRIENTS and BRAINWAVES (exploring the valorisation of wastewater). He is Co-PI on the Discovering Circular Tales project which is bringing the past and the future together through sharing and collecting urban and rural stories and memories of reuse, recycling and thrift. He is Co-Lead on the All-Island UN SDSN led by UCC and Queen's University Belfast.

Dr Bolger teaches a module on Leadership for Sustainability as part of the HDip for Sustainability in Enterprise for at UCC. He is a PI on the UCC SUSTAINABLE FUTURES programme which is focused on education and training for climate action, environmental sustainability, and achieving net zero in industry and enterprise, and delivers CPD training workshops to industry on sustainability leadership. 

Dr Bolger is a US-Ireland Fulbright Scholar and a member of the Royal Irish Academy Climate Change and Environmental Sciences Committee. He is a member of the European Environment Agency EIONET Foresight Group developing knowledge, skills and methodological expertise on futures' analysis and foresight studies to support policy-making and governance of sustainability transitions at national and European level. He is the Environmental Expert on the Advisory Steering Group for Cork City Council Local Economic and Community Plan. He is a member of the UCC President's ULT Subcommittee on Sustainability and Climate Action, and Lead for UCC Action on Mapping UCC Research on the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Dr Bolger delivers a 5 week Climate Action for Kids programme in primary schools and co-organises a Sustainability and Climate Book Club at the Environmental Research Institute.

Dr Bolger research interests are in how to utilise interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary (co-production) approaches to address complex environmental challenges, and in how broad academic knowledge across natural and social sciences, humanities, business and law can help society achieve sustainable development goals.