Brien Nolan is Professor of Mathematical Physics and Acting Head of the School of Mathematical Sciences. He graduated in Mathematical Sciences from UCD (BSc 1990, MSc 1991), and completed his PhD in Relativity Theory in the Department of Mathematical Physics, UCD in 1995. His principal research interests are General Relativity (space-time singularities and cosmic censorship; black holes; wave propagation in curved spacetimes) and Mathematics Education (third level teaching and learning; post-primary mathematics teacher education). He is a member of the editorial board of the IOP journal Classical and Quantum Gravity, is chair of the IOP Gravitational Physics Group and has held various administrative positions in the School of Mathematical Sciences and Faculty of Science and Health, including Deputy Dean, Head of School, Director of the Maths Learning Centre, School Teaching Convenor, Chair of the BSc in Science Education and Associate Dean for Internationalisation.
Peer Reviewed Journal
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Casals, M.; Nolan, B.C. (2023) 'Global Hadamard form for the Green function in Schwarzschild spacetime'. PHYSICAL REVIEW D, 108 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2021 | Nolan, B.C. (2021) 'Motion of a gyroscope on a closed timelike curve'. PHYSICAL REVIEW D, 104 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2023 | Hyland, D.; van Kampen, P.; Nolan, B. (2023) 'Student perceptions of a guided inquiry approach to a service-taught ordinary differential equations course'. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 54 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2020 | Nolan, B.C. (2020) 'Causality violation without time-travel: Closed lightlike paths in Gödel's universe'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 37 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2019 | Nolan, Brien C.; Reina, Borja; Sousa, Kepa (2019) 'First order perturbations of hypersurfaces of arbitrary causal character'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 36 (18). [DOI] | |
| 2019 | Casals, M.; Nolan, B.C.; Ottewill, A.C.; Wardell, B. (2019) 'Regularized calculation of the retarded Green function in a Schwarzschild spacetime'. PHYSICAL REVIEW D, 100 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2021 | Hyland, D.; van Kampen, P.; Nolan, B. (2021) 'Introducing direction fields to students learning ordinary differential equations (ODEs) through guided inquiry'. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 52 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2018 | Diarmaid Hyland, Paul van Kampen, Brien C Nolan (2018) 'Outcomes of a service teaching module on ODEs for physics students'. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 49 (5):743-758. https://doi.org/10.1080/0020739X.2017.1410736 | |
| 2018 | Fhloinn, Eabhnat Ni; Nolan, Brien C.; Candido, Giulio Hoehne; Guerrero, Shannon M. (2018) 'Pre-service versus in-service mathematics teachers' opinions of mathematics reform in post-primary schools in Ireland'. Irish Educational Studies, 37 (4). [DOI] | |
| 2017 | Nolan, B.C. (2017) 'Local properties and global structure of McVittie spacetimes with non-flat Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker backgrounds'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 34 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2017 | Mac an Bhaird, C.; Nolan, B.C.; O’Shea, A.; Pfeiffer, K. (2017) 'A study of creative reasoning opportunities in assessments in undergraduate calculus courses'. Research in Mathematics Education, 19 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2016 | Nolan, Brien C.; Winstanley, Elizabeth (2016) 'On the stability of dyons and dyonic black holes in Einstein-Yang-Mills theory'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 33 (4). [DOI] | |
| 2015 | Casals, Marc; Nolan, Brien C. (2015) 'Geometric properties of a 2D spacetime arising in 4D black hole physics'. PHYSICAL REVIEW D, 92 (10). [DOI] | |
| 2014 | Condron, Eoin; Nolan, Brien C. (2014) 'Collapse of a self-similar cylindrical scalar field with non-minimal coupling II: strong cosmic censorship'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 31 (16). [DOI] | |
| 2014 | Condron, Eoin; Nolan, Brien C. (2014) 'Collapse of a self-similar cylindrical scalar field with non-minimal coupling'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 31 (1). [DOI] | |
| 2014 | Ní Fhloinn, E.; Bhaird, C.M.; Nolan, B. (2014) 'University students' perspectives on diagnostic testing in mathematics'. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 45 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2014 | Nolan, B.C. (2014) 'Particle and photon orbits in McVittie spacetimes'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 31 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2013 | Hoban, R.A.; Finlayson, O.E.; Nolan, B.C. (2013) 'Transfer in chemistry: a study of students' abilities in transferring mathematical knowledge to chemistry'. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 44 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2013 | Casals, M.; Dolan, S.R.; Nolan, B.C.; Ottewill, A.C.; Winstanley, E. (2013) 'Quantization of fermions on Kerr space-time'. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology, 87 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2012 | Nolan, Brien C.; Winstanley, Elizabeth (2012) 'On the existence of dyons and dyonic black holes in Einstein-Yang-Mills theory'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 29 (23). [DOI] | |
| 2012 | Casals, M.; Nolan, B.C. (2012) 'Kirchhoff integral approach to the calculation of Green's functions beyond the normal neighborhood'. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology, 86 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2011 | Duffy, Emily M.; Nolan, Brien C. (2011) 'Odd-parity perturbations of the self-similar LTB spacetime'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 28 (10). [DOI] | |
| 2009 | Harada, T.; Nakao, K.I.; Nolan, B.C. (2009) 'Einstein-Rosen waves and the self-similarity hypothesis in cylindrical symmetry'. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology, 80 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2009 | Waters, T.J.; Nolan, B.C. (2009) 'Gauge invariant perturbations of self-similar Lemaître-Tolman-Bondi spacetime: Even parity modes with 1≥2'. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology, 79 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2007 | Nolan, B.C.; Debnath, U. (2007) 'Is the shell-focusing singularity of Szekeres space-time visible?'. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology, 76 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2007 | Nolan, B.C. (2007) 'Odd-parity perturbations of self-similar Vaidya spacetime'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 24 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2006 | Nolan, Brien C. (2006) 'Bounds for scalar waves on self-similar naked-singularity backgrounds'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 23 (13). [DOI] | |
| 2005 | Nolan, BC; Vera, R (2005) 'Axially symmetric equilibrium regions of Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker universes'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 22 (19). [DOI] | |
| 2005 | Nolan, BC; Waters, TJ (2005) 'Even perturbations of the self-similar Vaidya space-time'. PHYSICAL REVIEW D, 71 (10). [DOI] | |
| 2004 | Nolan, BC (2004) 'Physical interpretation of gauge invariant perturbations of spherically symmetric space-times'. PHYSICAL REVIEW D, 70 (4). [DOI] | |
| 2004 | Nolan, BC; Nolan, LV (2004) 'On isotropic cylindrically symmetric stellar models'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 21 (15). [DOI] | |
| 2004 | Brien C. Nolan (2004) 'Physical interpretation of gauge invariant perturbations of spherically symmetric space-times'. PHYSICAL REVIEW D, 70 (4):044004-1. | |
| 2004 | Mena, F.C.; Nolan, B.C.; Tavakol, R. (2004) 'Role of anisotropy and inhomogeneity in Lemaitre-Tolman-Bondi collapse'. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology, 70 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2003 | Nolan, B.C. (2003) 'Dynamical extensions for shell-crossing singularities'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 20 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2002 | Brien C. Nolan, Filipe C. Mena, Sergio M. C. V. Goncalves (2002) '``Strength and genericity of singularities in Tolman-Bondi-de Sitter collapse'' and a note on central singularities'. Physics Letters A, A294 (2):122-125. | |
| 2002 | Nolan, BC (2002) 'Naked singularities in cylindrical collapse of counterrotating dust shells'. PHYSICAL REVIEW D, 65 (10). [DOI] | |
| 2002 | Nolan, BC (2002) 'Weak solutions for weak singularities'. International Journal of Modern Physics A, 17 (20). | |
| 2002 | Nolan, BC; Waters, TJ (2002) 'Cauchy horizon stability in self-similar collapse: Scalar radiation'. PHYSICAL REVIEW D, 66 (10). [DOI] | |
| 2002 | Nolan, BC; Mena, FC (2002) 'Geometry and topology of singularities in spherical dust collapse'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 19 (10). [DOI] | |
| 2001 | Nolan, BC (2001) 'Sectors of spherical homothetic collapse'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 18 (9). [DOI] | |
| 2001 | Mena, FC; Nolan, BC (2001) 'Non-radial null geodesics in spherical dust collapse'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 18 (21). [DOI] | |
| 2001 | Nolan, BC (2001) 'A note on behaviour at an isotropic singularity'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 18 (6). [DOI] | |
| 2000 | Nolan, B.C. (2000) 'Central singularity in spherical collapse'. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology, 62 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 1999 | Nolan, B.C. (1999) 'Strengths of singularities in spherical symmetry'. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology, 60 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 1999 | Nolan, B.C. (1999) 'A point mass in an isotropic universe: III. The region R ≤ 2m'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 16 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 1999 | Nolan, B.C. (1999) 'A point mass in an isotropic universe: II. Global properties'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 16 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 1998 | Nolan, B. (1998) 'A point mass in an isotropic universe: Existence, uniqueness, and basic properties'. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology, 58 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 1998 | Guilfoyle, B.S.; Nolan, B.C. (1998) 'Yang's gravitational theory'. General Relativity and Gravitation, 30 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 1997 | Nolan, BC (1997) 'A characterization of strong wave tails in curved spacetimes'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 14 (5). [DOI] | |
| 1997 | B.C. Nolan (1997) 'The Goldberg--Kerr Approach to Lorentz Covariant Gravity'. PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY, SECTION A, 97A (1):31-59. | |
| 1995 | B.C. Nolan (1995) 'On multipole moments of the electromagnetic field'. Annals of Physics, 242 (1):117-134. | |
| 1993 | B.C. Nolan (1993) 'Sources for McVittie's mass particle in an expanding universe'. Journal of Mathematical Physics, 34 (1):178-185. | |
| 2018 | Hyland, Diarmaid; van Kampen, Paul; Nolan, Brien C. (2018) 'Outcomes of a service teaching module on ODEs for physics students'. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 49 (5). [DOI] | |
| 2016 | BC Nolan and E Winstanley (2016) 'On the stability of dyons and dyonic black holes in EYM theory'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 33 (4). [Link] http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0264-9381/33/4/045003 | |
| 2006 | Dr Brien Nolan (2006) 'Bounds for scalar waves on self-similar naked-singularity backgrounds'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 23 (13):4523-4538. | |
| 2005 | Dr Brien Nolan, Raul Vera (2005) 'Axially symmetric equilibrium regions of Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker universes'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 22 (19):4031-4050. | |
| 2004 | Filipe Mena , Brien C. Nolan , Reza Tavakol (2004) 'Role of anisotropy and inhomogeneity in Lemaitre-Tolman-Bondi collapse'. PHYSICAL REVIEW D, 70 (8). | |
| 2004 | B. C. Nolan, L. V. Nolan (2004) 'On isotropic cylindrically symmetric stellar models'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 21 (15):3693-3704. | |
| 2002 | Brien C. Nolan, Filipe C. MenaCla (2002) 'Geometry and topology of singularities in spherical dust collapse'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 19 (10):2587-2606. | |
| 2002 | Dr Brien Nolan (2002) 'Naked singularities in cylindrical collapse of counter-rotating dust shells'. PHYSICAL REVIEW D, 65 (10). | |
| 2002 | Nolan B.C. (2002) 'Naked singularities in cylindrical collapse of counterrotating dust shells'. Physical Review D: Particles and fields, 65 (10):1040061-1040064. | |
| 2000 | B.C. Nolan (2000) 'The Central Singularity in Spherical Collapse'. PHYSICAL REVIEW D, 62 (4):044015(1)-044015(9). | |
| 1999 | Nolan, BC (1999) 'A point mass in an isotropic universe:: III.: The region R ≤ 2m'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 16 (10). | |
| 1999 | B.C. Nolan (1999) 'A point mass in an isotropic universe: III. The region $R\leq 2m$'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 16 (10):3183-3191. | |
| 1999 | B.C. Nolan (1999) 'Strengths of singularities in spherical symmetry'. PHYSICAL REVIEW D, 60 (2):024014(1)-024014(9). | |
| 1998 | B.C. Nolan (1998) 'A point mass in an isotropic universe. Existence, uniqueness and basic properties'. PHYSICAL REVIEW D, 58 (6):064006(1)-064006(10). | |
| 1997 | B.C. Nolan (1997) 'A Characterisation of Strong Wave Tails in Curved Space-Times'. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 14 (5):1295-1308. |
Conference Publication
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Emma Owens and Brien C Nolan (2022) Proceedings of the CASTeL 9th STEM Education Research Conference, Dublin City University . In: E. Costello, P. Girme, D. Hyland, T. Kaur, O. Kelly, T. McLoughlin, & P. Van Kampen eds. The journey or the destination? An investigation into the beliefs of pre-service post-primary mathematics teachers regarding problem-solving [DOI] | |
| 2019 | Emma Owens and Brien C Nolan (2019) Proceedings of the Seventh Conference on Research in Mathematics Education in Ireland (MEI7), Dublin . In: L. Harbison, & A. Twohill eds. An investigation into the problem-solving capacities of pre-service mathematics teachers: implementation of taught strategies [DOI] | |
| 2019 | Ní Fhloinn, E., Nolan, B.C., Candido, G.H., and Guerrero, S.M. (2019) Mathematics Education in Ireland (MEI 7) . In: Harribson, L. and Twohill, A eds. Mathematics reform in post-primary schools in Ireland: Opinions of pre-service teachers Dublin, Ireland, 11/10/2019- 12/10/2019 [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2019 | Emma M. Owens and Brien C. Nolan (2019) Proceedings of the British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics, Vol. 39 . In: Fiona Curtis eds. An investigation into the problem-solving capacities of preservice post-primary mathematics teachers Milton Keynes, 09/03/2019- 09/03/2019 [Link] | |
| 2017 | O Shea A., Breen S., Brennan C., Doheny F., Lawless F., Kelly C., Mac an Bhaird C., McLoone S., Ni Fhloinn E., Ni She C. and Nolan B. (2017) 10th Congress of European Research in Mathematics Education Technology enhanced formative assessments for first year undergraduate mathematics modules | |
| 2017 | Hyland, Diarmaid; van Kampen, Paul; Nolan, Brien (2017) PROCEEDINGS OF THE TENTH CONGRESS OF THE EUROPEAN SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION (CERME10) Investigating students' difficulties with differential equations in physics | |
| 2017 | O'Shea, Ann; Breen, Sinead; Brennan, Connor; Doheny, Frank; Lawless, Fiona; Kelly, Christine; Bhaird, Ciaran Mac An; McLoone, Seamus; Ni Fhloinn, Eabhnat; Ni She, Caitriona; Nolan, Brien (2017) PROCEEDINGS OF THE TENTH CONGRESS OF THE EUROPEAN SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION (CERME10) Technology enhanced Resources for Mathematics Education (TeRMEd) | |
| 2016 | O'Shea, A., Breen, S., Brennan, C., Doheny, F., Lawless, F., Kelly, C., Mac an Bhaird, C., McLoone, S., Ni Fhloinn, E., Ni She, C., Nolan, B. (2016) Thirteenth International Congress on Mathematics Education Using technology to develop formative assessment resources for first year undergraduate modules | |
| 2016 | Lawless, F.; O’Shea, A.; Mac an Bhaird, C.; Ní Fhloinn, E; Ní Shé, C.; Nolan, B. (2016) CETL-MSOR 2016 Assessment for learning: resources for first year undergraduate mathematics modules Loughborough University, 06/09/2016- 07/09/2016 [Link] | |
| 2015 | Ní Shé, C.; Breen, S.; Brennan, C.; Doheny, F.; Lawless, F.; Mac an Bhaird, C.; McLoone, S.; Ní Fhloinn, E.; Nolan, B. and O’Shea, A. (2015) CETL-MSOR Conference 2015 . In: David Green eds. Identifying problematic mathematical topics and concepts for first year students Greenwich, United Kingdom, 08/09/2015- 09/09/2015 [Link] | |
| 2015 | Brien Nolan, Majella Dempsey, James Lovatt, Ann O'Shea (2015) Proceedings of the British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics . In: G. Adams eds. Developing Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT) for pre-service teachers: a study of students’ developing thinking in relation to the teaching of mathematics [Link] | |
| 2013 | Lawless, Stephen, Ní Fhloinn, Eabhnat and Nolan, Brien C. (2013) Fifth Conference on Research in Mathematics Education (MEI5) . In: Therese Dooley, Siun Nic Mhuiri, Maurice O'Reilly, Ronan Ward eds. Project Maths academy: Using Khan Academy's exercise platform as an educational aid in a post-primary mathematics classroom 05/09/2013- 06/09/2013 [Link] | |
| 2013 | Brien Nolan and Eabhnat Ní Fhloinn (2013) Fifth Conference on Research in Mathematics Education MEI 5 NOTES ON GROUP-WORK BASED TUTORIALS IN A LARGE SERVICE TEACHING MODULE Dublin, 05/09/2013- 06/09/2013 [Link] | |
| 2012 | Duffy, E.M.; Nolan, B.C. (2012) 12th Marcel Grossmann Meeting on Recent Dev. in Theoretical and Experimental General Relativity, Astrophysics and Relativistic Field Theories - Proc. of the MG 2009 Meeting on General Relativity Analytic study of odd parity perturbations of the self-similar ltb spacetime [Link] | |
| 2012 | Harada, T.; Nakao, K.I.; Nolan, B.C. (2012) 12th Marcel Grossmann Meeting on Recent Dev. in Theoretical and Experimental General Relativity, Astrophysics and Relativistic Field Theories - Proc. of the MG 2009 Meeting on General Relativity Einstein-rosen waves and the self-similarity hypothesis in cylindrical symmetry [Link] | |
| 2011 | Richard Hoban, Odilla Finlayson and Brien Nolan (2011) Proceedings of the Fourth Conference on Research in Mathematics Education MEI4 . In: Therese Dooley, Dolores Corcoran and Miriam Ryan eds. Mathematical transfer: studies of students' abilities in transferring mathematical knowledge to chemistry Dublin, 22/09/2011- 23/09/2011 [Link] | |
| 2007 | Brien Nolan (2007) CETL-MSOR Conference Proceedings 2007 . In: David Green eds. Using case studies in a mathematics tutor training programme University of Birmingham, 10/09/2007- 11/09/2007 [Link] | |
| 2006 | Nolan, B.C.; Vera, R. (2006) Axially symmetric equilibrium regions in FLRW universes [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2006 | Donal Dowling and Brien Nolan (2006) CETL-MSOR Conference Proceedings 2006 . In: David Green eds. Measuring the effectiveness of a maths learning support centre - The Dublin City University experience Loughborough University, 11/09/2006- 12/09/2006 [Link] |
Conference Contribution
Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2024) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.
Other Activities
Research Interests
General Relativity:
Space-time singularities and cosmic censorship; Wave propagation in curved space-time; Self-force in general relativity; Black hole physics; Time travel in General Relativity.
Mathematics Education:
Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching; Pre-service teacher education; Diagnostic testing at third level; Creative reasoning in mathematics; Transitions and Mathematical Identity.
Teaching Interests
- Mathematics on DCU Futures: I teach students on a number of DCU Futures programmes in the Faculty of Science and Health. The mathematics modules on these programmes emphasise a mastery learning approach, and seek to develop all aspects of students' mathematical proficiency.
- Mathematics: I have taught a wide variety of mathematics modules in both service and specialist settings.
- Mathematics Teacher Education: I have developed modules focussing on Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Geometry and Calculus, Lesson Study, and Teaching Problem Solving.
- General Relativity: I teach an advanced introductory module on Differential Geometry and General Relativity to students on the MSc in Astrophysics & Relativity