Sinéad Ní Chadhain, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Biology
Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Biology
Contact
- Expertise:
- Biology
- Microbiology
- Water Quality
Dr. Sinéad Ní Chadhain is an associate professor and chair of the Department of Biology at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Chadhain is a marine scientist whose research focuses on how bacteria impact the environment. Originally from a village near Galway in western Ireland, she is the first in her family to attend college. A life-changing scholarship opportunity brought Chadhain to the University of Scranton, where a growing interest in ecology and microbiology inspired a shift away from an early plan to pursue medicine. Instead, Chadhain earned a Ph.D. in marine studies from the University of Delaware.
Following postdoctoral research at Rutgers University in New Jersey, Chadhain joined the faculty at the University of South Alabama, where she advanced her research and teaching on the Gulf Coast. In July 2025, she moved to Little Rock to become chair of the Department of Biology at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Chadhain’s research explores the roles bacteria play in environmental processes, including how they degrade pollutants, influence water quality, and can be used to identify sources of fecal contamination. Her work also investigates how bacterial proteins might help clean wastewater. Throughout her career, Chadhain has been deeply committed to science outreach and initiatives that promote student success in the sciences, working to inspire and support the next generation of researchers and innovators.