Michael C. Ircha is a member of the University of New Brunswick’s Transportation Group. He holds degrees in civil engineering, urban planning, and public administration from Queen’s University, a certificate in international strategic studies from Canada’s National Defence College, and a doctorate in ports administration and planning from the University of Wales, Cardiff. Prior to his academic appointment, Dr. Ircha served as city engineer, director of planning, and city administrator in two municipalities (Amherst, Nova Scotia, and Vanier, Ontario). A former associate dean of engineering, Dr. Ircha also served as UNB’s associate vice-president (academic) over the past decade.
Dr. Ircha is the 2004 recipient of the Lieutenant-Governor’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration. A frequent international lecturer, he was named "Distinguished Transportation Professor" by the International Intermodal Expo in Atlanta, and has received several research awards for his transportation publications.
In recent years, he has offered UN port management courses to senior port officials in Yemen, Tanzania, Jamaica, Indonesia, France (IPER), and Britain, as well as at the Maine Maritime Academy and annually at the UN’s World Maritime University in Sweden and the Shanghai Maritime University.
Dr. Ircha serves as Chair of the City of Fredericton’s Planning Advisory Committee and as a director of the Greater Fredericton Airport Authority. He is past-president of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering, and recently served as a director of the Association of Canadian Port Authorities.
Characteristics of Tomorrow's Successful Port: AIMS Atlantica Papers #4