Deputy Director

Dr. Darina Scully 

Dr. Darina Scully (Assistant Professor in Psychology, School of Human Development) is the Deputy Director of CARPE.  She holds a B.A. (Mod.) and a Ph.D. in psychology from Trinity College, Dublin, with expertise in quantitative research methods, assessment, measurement & psychometrics, and child & adolescent development.  

Upon completion of her doctoral studies in 2014, she joined Ireland’s Educational Research Centre (ERC), where she was involved in the implementation of international large-scale assessments (e.g., TIMSS) and the evaluation of the DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) programme. In 2016, she took up the inaugural Prometric postdoctoral fellowship in CARPE, specializing in assessment and test development in both the educational and professional testing spheres.  

In 2020, upon completion of her postdoc, she joined the Faculty of the IoE.  Her research is focused on the assessment and measurement of complex constructs, on the interface between assessment, teaching and learning, and on the application of new technologies and methods to develop authentic and formative assessment solutions at all levels of the education system.  

Darina has been published in several peer-reviewed journals including Practical Assessment, Research and Evaluation, Technology, Pedagogy and Education, and the International Journal of Testing and she has presented at prestigious international conferences such as AERA and EdMedia.  Her work has also been used by the NCCA, the INTO and QQI to inform policy and practice in educational assessment.