Research Projects
I am a socially engaged and interdisciplinary researcher: some of the large grants that I have worked on are listed below. See my academic publications from these grants under academic writing.
Reports and technical writing are available by request
Reporting sexual violence and harassment in higher education
2025
I am the postdoctoral researcher on this Higher Education Authority-funded research study of experiences of disclosing, reporting and investigating sexual and gender based violence and harassment in Irish Higher Education Institutions. The aim of the study is to explore and document experiences related to the survivor journey from disclosure to outcome of formally investigated cases of SVH, including the full range of experiences from no disclosure to formal investigation.
The main objectives of the research are:
1. To document and give voice to a range of staff and student experiences of SVH in higher education and to capture the impact on those directly and indirectly affected.
2. To explore survivor experiences of disclosing and reporting SVH to their institution, including, but not limited to, complaints that were formally investigated, in order to identify strengths, challenges and lessons.
Beyond Opposition
2022-2025
Beyond Opposition is a research project that considers how changes to the social consensus on gender and sexual rights impact different people in Ireland, Britain and Canada. It is interested in social polarisation, and ways of living together when not all minds can be changed. I joined Beyond Opposition when the research was already underway, and found convergence with my creative writing on parenting through the 21st century sex wars; my activist experience in Ireland's referendums on abortion and same sex marriage; and my research specialisations in gender, narratives, and sensitive resarch.
In 2022 I gathered interviews with people who had concerns or oppositions related to social and legal actions related to gender, sexuality and abortion – for instance, same sex marriage, gender recognition, and repeal of the 8th amendment in Ireland. Subsequently I co-designed and implemented experimental workshops bringing people together across a range of positions and perspectives, and worked with artists including Leah Hilliard to develop new thinking.
We invite viewers to explore the questions and reflections of our workshops through the virtual exhibition I co-curated, Imperfect Utopias
Beyond Opposition is funded by the European Research Council, under the leadership of Principal Investigator Professor Kath Browne.
Community Sponsorship
Community Sponsorship Ireland: a participatory approach for increasing sustainability (with Nasc: the migrant and refugee rights centre)
2021-2022
The school of social work in UCD worked with Nasc, the migrant and refugee rights centre, to explore the initial implementation of Community Sponsorship Ireland. The project set out to identify possibilities for participatory and/ or equalities-based monitoring and evaluation of the policy. As a postdoctoral researcher, I conducted a literature review, focus group discussions, coding, analysis and co-authoring on the project. The project report is available here - academic articles also available.
The project was funded by an Irish Research Council New Foundations grant, and the Principal Investigator was Karen Smith.
What Works Economic and Social costs of Violence
2015-2019
What Works Economic and Social costs of violence was a study to assess the impacts of violence against women and girls beyond the individual level, and to propose methodologies for such assessments. Research was conducted in Ghana, Pakistan and South Sudan, focusing on employment, business, social and relational impacts.
My PhD was funded as a part of the study, and I conducted country case studies, developed sociological theory and co-authored reports, working papers and journal articles for the project.
The project was funded by UK AID, and was led by Principal Investigator Professor Nata Duvurry