Maeve Conrick is Full Professor Emeritus of French and former Principal of the College of Arts and Humanities, University College Dublin. She has published extensively in the areas of Sociolinguistics and Applied Linguistics. Career distinctions include appointment as Specialist Advisor to a UK House of Commons Committee and The Governor General’s International Award for Canadian Studies. She has held office in many national and international organisations and is a former Deputy Chair of the Higher Education Authority. She is currently Deputy Chair of the Press Council of Ireland, member of the Governing Body of University College Cork and a member of the Judicial Conduct Committee.