PhD Students

Linda Adams is a musician and PhD researcher in audio technologies and music cognition. Her current research involves an investigation into the effects of harmonic context on expectation in musicians and non-musicians. Linda graduated with a BA in Jazz Performance from Newpark Music Centre in 2007. She subsequently began performing with various ensembles and composing for and performing with her own piano trio. In 2014 she received a M.Phil in Music and Media Technologies. She has since published research on methods of MIDI humanisation and generative composition in MaxMSP, object-based audio, and music cognition. She has presented at conferences in Ireland and internationally and was recently awarded a scholarship to attend the 2019 Sound and Music Computing Summer School. Linda joined the faculty of Newpark Music Centre in 2007 and began teaching Piano Studies and Harmony on their BA in Jazz Performance. She currently teaches on DCU’s BA in Jazz and Contemporary Music Performance, lecturing in Piano, Harmony, Arranging, Music Technology and Aural Training.

Links:

https://github.com/adamsls

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Linda_Adams6

Phillip’s research at Dublin City University aims to reprioritize physical place in the practice of theology and peacebuilding. His thesis explores how a better understanding of the spiritual dynamics of place will deepen our knowledge of religious sectarian identity and positively influence efforts toward religious reconciliation – both within Ireland and internationally.

He has written and presented academic works on the role of sacred space in emerging Christianity, the influence of space and place in historical Methodism, and the nature of place in the life and writings of Thomas Merton. He has also served as a consultant in spatial dynamics for developing inter-faith worship spaces.

In 2016, Phillip completed a master’s degree in religion (M.Div) from Nazarene Theological Seminary (Kansas City, USA) and a separate one-year graduate certificate in Christian spiritual formation. As an undergraduate, he received a bachelor’s degree in Christian theology with a minor focus in religious intercultural studies.

Prior to joining DCU, Phillip was a full-time Christian minister in the United States for nearly 15 years. He’s worked with churches and religious organizations across denominational and ecumenical dividing lines and is passionate about using practical theology to further the work of religious reconciliation and peacebuilding. When he’s not on campus, you can find him watching European football, writing in a local coffee shop, or at home cooking an overly complicated dinner for his wife, Hannah.

John is husband to Ruth and dad to Hannah and Daniel. He is an Ordained Minister of the Methodist Church in Ireland and currently serves as the denomination’s Director of Ministry. He is also involved with leadership development as the Director of Arrow Leadership Ireland. He is deeply interested in how the church needs to be shaped or reshaped to fulfil its calling in today’s world and the type of leadership that is required to do this. 

He holds a BA in Modern History from Queen’s University Belfast, a Bachelor of Divinity also from Queen’s University, and a Master of Arts in Evangelism Studies from the University of Sheffield.

He is a rugby watching, tech lover, mac geek, guitar player, Man Utd fan, book collector, music listener, geocache finder and loves the idea of getting out more to run and cycle!

Curiosity, fearlessness and versatility carry Lina Andonovska’s artistry around the globe. Andonovska is a rare breed in the flute world; a Name that you’ll discover on both the pages of Rolling Stone and the Australian Chamber Orchestra roster. She has not only cultivated partnerships with leading artists including Louis Andriessen, Donnacha Dennehy, Claire Chase and Bryce Dessner, but also deep community ties from Timor Leste to Tokyo’s Wonder Site.

She has collaborated with Ensemble Modern, Crash Ensemble, Deutsches Kammerorchester, stargaze and eighth blackbird. Recent credits include performances at the Berlin Philharmonie, New Music Dublin, Musica Nova Helsinki and a solo show as part of the Melbourne International Arts Festival that was noted as “re-defining the act of going solo “ (​The Age)​.​  Lina released her debut solo album with Diatribe Records label in early 2020, which was described as “brimming with energy and bold textures, though marked throughout by nuance. A Name to watch out for.” (All About Jazz). She will be joining the line-up of Grammy Award-winning ensemble ‘eighth blackbird’ when restrictions lift and will be commencing PhD studies at Dublin City University in late 2020.

Princess O'Nika's thesis delves into the intricate domains of bodily autonomy, sexual assault, and the portrayal of women, particularly within the Bible. Moreover, her research pursuits extend far beyond these realms, encompassing the subjects of consent, age, migration, slavery, and the Diaspora, as well as the captivating realms of the ancient Near East and Greco-Roman culture.

Princess O’Nika was born and raised on the enchanting island of Saint Lucia in the Caribbean. Princess hails from a place often referred to as the Helen of the West, a playful reference to the mythical Helen of Troy. She obtained her B.A. in English Literature from Grambling State University and went on to earn a Master of Divinity in New Testament Studies from the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Her master's project involved the development of a syllabus exploring the concept of "Othering" in the Biblical Text, focusing on the marginalized, such as women, slaves, immigrants, eunuchs, and the Diaspora. Furthermore, she holds a Master of Theological Studies in Biblical Studies from Claremont School of Theology, where her thesis titled "A Feminist Interpretation of Mark 6:21–29" utilized the historical critical method, sexual ethics, and feminist theory to argue that Salome was an abused child.

Princess's written work has graced the pages of online platforms and magazines such as LAPP The Brand, Pop Culture and Theology, Intersect Antigua, Equality Fund, Christian Feminism Today, and The Painted Leaf. Additionally, she shares her insights and musings on biblical studies, sexual violence, goddesses, and ancient and medieval queens through her personal blogs on Kofi and Patreon, aptly named "Isletheologian." She also regularly contributes to the Popular Culture Studies Journal YouTube Show, "Popular Culture Dialogue." Further displaying her passion for history, Princess hosts a podcast called "Bad Ass Women of History," where she delves into the lives of historical women who have been unjustly demonized, forgotten, or slut shamed. She also has a blog of the same name where she blogs about women in history. She was also the social media manager for the domestic violence nonprofit Raise Your Voice St. Lucia.

Beyond her scholarly pursuits, Princess nurtures a desire to become a renowned Historical Romance novelist. Her self-published novella, "Ladjablès: A Love Story," draws inspiration from St. Lucian folklore, mythology, fantasy, LGBTQIA+ themes, and historical fiction. Furthermore, her collection of poetry, "From the Dark Place," offers an autobiographical essence.

In her personal life, Princess adores cats and rabbits, believing them to be the epitome of perfect pets. She embraces the role of a novice plant mummy, takes pleasure in cooking, relishes museum visits, art shows, and open mic nights, and finds solace in the serene beauty of the beach. Princess's culinary preferences encompass a love for Caribbean, Indian, French, and Greek cuisine, with her ultimate favourite dishes being the delectable Caribbean delights of roti and bouyon. Additionally, she dabbles in the practice of yoga, further nurturing her mind, body, and soul.

Kevin is a choral practitioner and researcher from Dublin. He is the founding director of the DCU Chamber Choir and Acallam Men's Choir and is the Associate Conductor of the UCD School of Music. He has previously served as director of the Clermont Chorale and the HSBC Dublin Workplace Choir, and has performed internationally singing with the Palestrina Choir and the New Franz Liszt Academy Choir. Kevin has experience teaching music at all levels, from preschool to tertiary. Following his Bachelor's in Music at Maynooth University, he studied Advanced Choral Conducting and Music Pedagogy at the Kodály Institute of the Liszt Academy in Hungary. Kevin then was a member of the first MA in Choral Studies class at DCU. Kevin has participated in conducting masterclasses with many internationally acclaimed conductors, such as Eimear Noone, Eric Whitacre, and Josep Vila i Casañas.



Kevin's doctoral research focuses on the new style of choral composition prevalent among contemporary American composers such as Eric Whitacre, Morten Lauridsen, and Libby Larsen. He has also published research on Irish choral music. Kevin is a member of the Society for Musicology in Ireland, the American Choral Directors Association, the Association of British Choral Directors, and Sing Ireland. Kevin previously served as a member of the Executive Committee of Conradh na Gaeilge, and has broadcasted as a presenter and contributor on Dublin's Raidió na Life 106.4FM.

Dermot’s thesis will seek to explore ways in which the liberal political sphere (often said to be lacking in positive communal values) can be enriched through insights from inter-religious dialogue and Jewish philosophies of encounter. This shall also include a consideration of ways in which a shifting and post-Catholic Irish identity can be inclusive of ethnic and religious minorities which may be more attuned to a traditional and communally oriented ethos than the dominant liberal culture. The overarching aim of the thesis shall be to seek ways to uphold social cohesion and avoid the disintegration and polarisation that are evident in numerous other Western liberal democracies.

Prior to joining DCU Dermot was a graduate student at Yale Divinity School from 2018 – 2020. While there he also worked as a researcher at Yale’s Department of Political Science. He attained his B.A. at KU Leuven in Belgium from 2015 – 2018. Much of his studies have focused on the phenomenon of religiously inspired violence and terrorism. Academia aside, Dermot is a qualified carpenter and joiner by trade who has also dabbled in a little pig and poultry farming. He enjoys keeping up with current affairs, walking in the Wicklow hills, cooking and indulging his epicurean proclivities with various cheeses, meats and whiskeys!

M.Phil. (2020) Christian Theology, Loyola Institute, Trinity College Dublin; Post Graduate Diploma (2005) Chaplaincy Studies, St Patrick’s College Maynooth; Post Graduate Certificate in Education (2002) Secondary Education / Music, The University of Edinburgh; BMus hons (2001) Music, Queens University of Belfast

Helena is a recent graduate from the Loyola Institute, Trinity College Dublin where she secured the 2019 Sean O’Riordan scholarship. She is also an alumni of The University of Edinburgh and Queen’s University Belfast. Helena’s thesis focuses on the spiritual autonomy gained, exercised and expressed by women actively engaged in the practice of Bible journaling – a practice that nurtures women’s faith and their unique experience of God within an honest and vibrant spirituality. Her research explores how this emerging trend empowers women to find meaning beyond traditional and androcentric readings of the text handed on from male authority and the implications on gender complementarity and the nature of women’s authority in the Church. Bible journaling enables the Bible to function as Word of God for women in a fresh and important way and gives voice to that which has been silenced in patriarchal theology. To discover the reimagining’s of biblical texts by women’s journal entries is an exciting research area.  By undertaking this research Helena will explore and interpret women’s experience and spiritual practice and bring them into the framework of current theological discourse.

Helena is a professional photographer, singer/songwriter and musician. In 2018 she published her book Prayerful Ireland, a contemplative book of photographs and

Danny is an assistant professor in Veterinary Medicine in University College Dublin, Ireland. He has a background in the biomedical sciences from undergraduate through to PhD degrees, and more recently completed an MA in Ethics from Dublin City University. Additionally, Danny is a group leader, and runs an active laboratory in the field of biomedical research. As an active researcher, he is aware of the environment and pressures which scientists face that can impact on scientific integrity, and has had a sustained interest in this dynamic throughout his career. Danny’s PhD focuses on comprehensively examining the ethics approaches employed in teaching research integrity, and whether the most promising approaches can be combined to maximise their strengths, while diminishing their weaknesses, without the inverse occurring. Ultimately, this work aims to advance the way in which research integrity teaching is done.

Links: https://people.ucd.ie/daniel.crean

My thesis will focus on the science of climate change and the role of environmental theology in relation to modern societies need to address global challenges. It will address the connection between the value of nature through policies, ethical theories in relation to environmental issues and promoting the common good.

 I will examine the ways in which religious education can contribute to promoting a community of practice among young people by researching the importance of eco-justice and climate care within the education system. Another focal point will be ethical consumerism analysed through a Christian lens. I will question if the pressures of modern society have caused humanity to subvert the natural laws of the planet rather than mirror them, causing tension on what it means to be truly human.

I am a mother of four young children and a post primary teacher from Dublin. I am passionate about theology, climate care, and social justice. In 2019, I was asked to represent Ireland in the ‘Design for Change’ Global Summit in Rome due to my work with my students on the issue of sustainability. I met and received a personal blessing from Pope Francis. This encouraged me to return to college and complete a second master’s degree. My MA thesis focused on eco-spirituality and Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’. I thoroughly enjoyed this and felt that I could add much more to this area through further research. On a personal level, I love spending time with my children, I enjoy reading and going for long walks.

M.Phil. (2018) Trinity College Dublin, Intercultural Theology and Interreligious Studies; M.A. (2011) Jamia Millia Islamia - New Delhi, Islamic Studies; B.A. (2009) Loreto College - University of Calcutta, English Literature



Freya's thesis focuses on Jewish-Christian reconciliation in Yiddish author Sholem Asch's fiction, especially in his depiction of biblical characters and use of Christian themes. Her broader research interests include interfaith dialogue between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, the role of popular literature in promoting ideas of rapproachment, and the role of Yiddish in the formation of Jewish identity, especially one that counteracts aggressive ethno-nationalist tendencies. Born and raised in Calcutta, Freya did her B.A. in English Literature from Loreto College. She has a master's degree in Islamic Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, and another in Intercultural Theology and Interreligious Studies from Trinity College Dublin where her dissertation examined Asch's portrayal of Jesus as the arbiter between Judaism and Christianity in his novel The Nazarene. As a Junior Research Fellow under India's University Grant Commission, she taught 'Indian Religion and Culture' for two years at Jamia Millia Islamia. She has also had six years of experience working as a journalist for Outlook Magazine and Huffington Post India. Her obsession with Sholem Asch, the protagonist of her Ph.D., is well-known in Yiddishist circles, as she continues to learn his mame-loshn. Apart from teaching and promoting the marvellous canon of literature in Yiddish, she also aspires to write bestsellers like Asch. Freya prides herself on being a bit of an animal whisperer and spends much of her time in the company of tails. She is a rookie plant parent, frequently dabbles in art, and in the words of Sholem Aleichem: 'books—she swallows like dumplings'. She also likes dumplings.  

My proposed research output is a portfolio of music compositions accompanied by a thesis. The common thread that will run through the body of compositions will be an understanding that music is rooted in the body’s interactions with the world. By investigating the experience of seeing and perceiving in music composition practice, I aim to advance on new techniques for composition and contribute to the understanding of the embodied origins of music, which is at the core of expanding knowledge of both music composers and scholars.

Best described as a work-in-progress, I was born in 1952, and grew up in the 1960s when everything seemed possible (and actually was). Mairéad and I were married in 1973 and she has tolerated me now for nearly half a century. Her place in heaven is secure. We’ve been blessed with four children, all grown up and with children of their own now. One son and one daughter live overseas (Sweden and England) while one daughter and one son live here in Dublin. The eight grandchildren have been a surprise and delight in so many different ways it’s difficult to know where to begin, so I won’t. Each one is a wonder child.

I spent my working life in technology (software development) and travelled fairly extensively as an R&D Manager with Ericsson, the telecommunications company. I liked Sweden and Italy best of the places where I was stationed, so different from Ireland and so vibrant in their different ways. Now retired, I still do some technical work developing training programs for the Technology Ireland Skillnet. I also volunteer with that great organisation Trócaire, speaking in schools, lobbying politicians and promoting the message of Laudato Si’ about ‘the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor’. That mission took me to Geneva last year to support efforts to secure a binding UN Treaty on Business and Human Rights.

I have been a runner for most of my adult life. My marathon days are well over but I still enjoy the endorphin release of regular runs in the Phoenix Park. I write a lot, and not just for academic purposes. My stories and poems have enjoyed modest success over the years and in 2014 I published a historical novel Season of Snow which deals with those heroic heretics, the Cathars. 

2020 - M.Phil. in Christian Theology, Trinity College Dublin; 2011 - M.A. in Religion and Education Post-Primary, Mater Dei Institute, Dublin; 2010 - Bachelor of Religious Education and English Post-Primary, Mater Dei Institute, Dublin.

Maria is a recent graduate of the Loyola Institute, Trinity College Dublin where she secured the 2018 M.Phil. in Christian Theology Spiritan Mission Scholarship. She is an alumni of Mater Dei Institute, DCU and has extensive experience working within the voluntary and charity sector.

Maria’s research is funded by the DCU Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences PhD Scholarship Programme. It is concerned with interpreting the Marian and pneumatological titles found in the writings of St. Maximilian Kolbe through an anthropological lens. Maria’s research critically analyses the key concepts of St. Kolbe’s theological synthesis, namely in his doctrine on the Blessed Virgin as a) the ‘created Immaculate Conception’, b) the ‘complement of the Trinity’, c) the ‘quasi incarnatus of the Holy Spirit’ and it utilises the theological anthropology advanced by St. John Paul II’s ‘Theology of the Body’ as a hermeneutical tool.

In her research, the key concepts of communion and conception, divine action and human reaction intrinsic to Kolbean thought are assessed in tandem with the paradigms of inter-subjectivity and union, freedom and reciprocal gift defined anthropologically by John Paul II’s ‘Theology of the Body’. Through this relational lens, the core facets of St. Kolbe’s pedagogy on the personhood of Mary, on her participation in the inner life and work of the Trinity, and on her interrelatedness with God are analysed, not solely in virtue of the Divine Maternity, but in light of her identity as a locusof the Spirit’s sanctifying and divinising operations in the order of salvation.

Originally from Dublin but living in Co Kildare for the last 25 years (so not too far from my origins!). I'm undertaking my PhD on a part-time basis so I spend a lot of time juggling work, research and family/leisure time. In my work environment I am an archivist, running my own company, which provides archive, library and other information services mostly to public sector clients. When not doing all of that, I like to get outside into the fresh air - lots of walking and the occasional bike journey. I also have an interest in history (no surprise, given what I do for a living) but also keep a close eye on current affairs, and I watch a good deal of sport too, when the opportunity arises. I'm married, with two children in their early twenties - so all in all I have lots of varied things to take up my time.

Giovanna Feeley is a professional singer, choral director, and educator, with over twenty years’ specialism in liturgical music. She directs a number of choral groups in Dublin and Meath, including Schola Hyberniae, Ashbourne Choral Collective, Cor na Mi, Meath Youth Choir, and BUVINDA Workplace Choir. She completed undergraduate studies at Mater Dei Institute of Education, Dublin, and taught at second level for seven years before taking on the full-time role of Pastoral & Liturgical Coordinator in Ashbourne/Donaghmore Parish, Diocese of Meath, for a further six years. In 2005 she began postgraduate studies at the Pontifical University, Maynooth, where she served a term as Acting Director of Sacred Music. She was Invited Lecturer in Pastoral Music Ministry at St Patrick’s College, Thurles, from 2008 to 2010, and in 2007 she was appointed Associate Director & Lecturer in Pastoral Theology at the Pontifical University, for a period of ten years. She holds a First Class Honours Master’s Degree in Theology, specialising in Liturgical Music. In addition, she holds Performer's Diplomas in both Pianoforte (AVCM) and Voice (ARSM). She also holds a Diploma in Community and Group Music Teaching from the Royal Irish Academy of Music.

She is a scholarship recipient in the School of Theology, Philosophy, and Music, and her PhD thesis is concerned with exploring early evidence of the use of alleluia in ritual practice, tracing its development and assimilation into the Roman Rite Eucharistic celebration, and debating the key question of how this word became one of the principal dialogic musical acclamations in the liturgy. Her study is contextualized by an examination of the Alleluia in current liturgical-musical Irish practice and, by extension, pastoral, liturgical, and musical realities in the Irish church today. She lives in Ashbourne, County Meath, with her husband and fellow musician, Ephrem, and their three young children.

After Graduating with Undergraduate and Post-Graduate degrees from Oxford, in Philosophy Politics and Economics, Gearoid Ferrick pursued a successful 17 year career in International Banking and Finance, culminating as Managing Director of the Derivatives trading company, of Willis PLC.

A tenacious and innovative business director with a strong record of commercial achievement, this experience has convinced him of the need to be a committed advocate of change management. His experience is in developing strategies for change, analytical review and professional advocacy.

Following a career reappraisal he decided to realise a personal ambition to be involved in the ‘Not for Profit’ sector. Thus a second career of nearly 20 years saw him contribute to various projects that were designed to develop ‘Social Capital’ in disadvantaged regions across Ireland. In addition he returned to the teaching profession.  He has been a senior career counsellor within the educational environment for the last ten years. He has recently completed a Masters in Theology in DCU, and is enrolled to continue his studies at a Ph.d level.

Hannah’s research focuses on the relationship between emerging Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology and the rights of persons with disabilities. Utilizing a Disability Justice framework, Hannah will explore areas where AI threatens the rights of persons with disabilities, as well as areas where AI could be utilized to support persons with disabilities. She is particularly interested in the ethical and human rights implications of AI.

Hannah was born and raised in a rural town in New Hampshire (United States), where her family lived “off the grid” and generated their own electricity using a water wheel. Her upbringing instilled in her the importance of community and collaboration. This ethos led her to Seattle, Washington (United States), where she worked for several years at the intersection of behavioral health, homelessness, and crisis.

Hannah has a BS in Dance Performance and Choreography from Skidmore College. She received both her JD and an LLM (Sustainable International Development) from the University of Washington School of Law. While in law school, Hannah focused on disability law and human rights. She has published on the topic of forced psychiatric treatment and the insufficient legal and societal protections for persons experiencing behavioral health crisis. Hannah also served as the Editor-in-Chief of Washington Law Review, Washington state’s flagship legal publication. Hannah was awarded several awards while at the University of Washington, including: the Dean’s Medal, the Student Bar Association Award for Student Service, the Academic Excellence Award, the Harlan Hahn Award for Disability Studies, and a Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship.

In her spare time Hannah can be found eating overly complicated dinners made by her husband Phil, FaceTiming with her niece and nephew, traveling, and reveling in small daily joys.

I earned a Bachelor of Education from the English Education Department at the Faculty of Teacher Training at the State Islamic University of Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, West Java, Indonesia in 2011. Then, I earned a M.A. in Religious Studies from Hartford Seminary, United States in 2015. Upon completion of the Doctoral program in Dublin City University, my long-term goal is to join the political party in Indonesia. I plan to be a public servant who will innovate and bring change to the government that will benefit most people. Having studied abroad in the United States and Ireland, I plan to transfer this knowledge to politicians to help them maintain interreligious dialogue in Indonesia. I want to take part of the changes and continue to making decisions that will impact my nation.

Solomon graduated from Choreomundus, a consortium of four universities internationally recognized for their leadership in the development of innovative curricula for the analysis of dance and other movement practices: University of Clermont Auvergne (coordinator), France; Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway; University of Szeged, Hungary and the University of Roehampton, United Kingdom, where he studied for an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degree in Dance Knowledge, Practice and Heritage. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts General Degree in Music and Religious studies and Bachelor of Arts Special Honours Degree in Music, both from Great Zimbabwe University and Post Graduate Diploma in Dance and Music Education from Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University. Besides this, he also holds a Post-Graduate Certificate in Research Methods, Certificate in Dance Studies and Certificate in Computer Operations and Applications. 

He has published three papers in peer-reviewed journals, on the decolonization of dance research in Zimbabwe, the revival of mbende dance heritage and a review of Biel's (2017) book on Dance and Organisation. He is the founder of the Zimbabwe National Federation of Musical Arts, an organization responsible for promoting musical arts education, performance and research in Zimbabwe through a partnership with schools, colleges, universities and organizations directly and indirectly linked to musical arts.

I am currently in my second year of the PhD programme at Dublin City University. My research focuses on answering the question: ‘how do we account for the fact that it is often in times of crisis that we see the agency of women come to the fore?’ My project is an interdisciplinary exploration, through a re-examination of theories of power and gender, the relationship between times of crisis or upheaval and female agency in the Hebrew Bible.

My passion for biblical studies informed my decision to study at the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of Pretoria where I obtained both my BA in Theology and BTh Hons in New Testament studies. My Bachelor of Arts in Theology and my two-year elective in Biblical Hebrew laid the foundation for my interest in Hebrew Bible studies. This trajector of biblical study with an emphasis upon ideological interpretations as a lens for reflection developed during my studies on the Master’s degree at Dublin City University.

While I miss the sunshine in my native South Africa, I am truly blessed to experience the beauty and magic of Ireland while continuing my love of research in Dublin. On a more personal note, I’m the kind of girl to cry in a movie when the dog dies and my Instagram account is a more of a shrine to my miniature pincher and three greyhounds than anything else.

I am currently in the second year of a Research PhD with the School of Theology, Philosophy and Music at Dublin City University. I have spent the past five years as a student at DCU. I first completed a Joint Honours degree in Theology and English and then undertook a Master’s degree in Creative Writing, one of the first students to pass this new MA degree offered by the School of English.

My thesis examines how Martin reworks Christology and Mythology in his novel series A Song of Ice and Fireand its subsequent HBO television production A Game of Thrones. It is an interdisciplinary thesis with the Schools of Theology and English. I am incredibly fortunate to have Dr. Peter Admirand as my primary supervisor and the secondary supervisor is famous Irish playwright, Marina Carr.

I’m originally from the UK but have been living in Ireland for the past 19 years. I have a wonderful daughter and partner and we live on the Northside of Dublin. I enjoy hill walking and being out in nature. An avid reader of a variety of books including fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, and classic works I also enjoy trips to the cinema to see movies involving action, drama, fantasy and sci-fi.

My work with student teachers in Music Education, with children at primary level and with choirs of all ages has led me to my research topic. I always been fascinated by how children think and learn, especially in music. Through generating theory with expert choral practitioners, I hope to contribute to developing both theory and practice in the teaching of music reading in Irish choral contexts.

My research investigates children’s musical thinking, particularly as they engage with music notations, in choral settings. I am particularly interested in whether the breadth of research and understanding on children’s learning to read written language can inform or extend a theoretical understanding of children’s music reading.

My current research is in the realm of existentialism. After two long years of the Covid pandemic, isolation has become familiar to people. However, through availing of the use of modern technology, this kind of isolation could bring a spatial separation for people but need not impact and isolate their emotional or other kinds of connections from one another.

Except for being isolated from others or from parts of oneself, however, underlying these splits, a more basic and deep inner isolated feeling emerges unaware in the conscious sometimes. This experience is realized with the accompanying emptiness, sadness, and longing, despite the most gratifying engagement with family and friends and despite consummate self-knowledge and integration. It emerges without a reason and direction but persistently longs for something. It is neither for appearances nor for the fleeting and superficial; it is for something of substance, a deeper and inner satisfaction. It refers to an unbridgeable gulf between oneself and others. Although it is distinct from emotional loneliness, it motivates our moods and deeds to form who we are and what we do when this ‘feeling’ is emerging.

Loneliness, a melancholy theme, has a long history of dominance in the western world. It has been striking scholars’ attention from the ages of the Old Testament, the Homeric myths, the tragedies of Sophocles and the ensuing theological speculations of the Christian millennium. This present study, through the investigation of man’s solitary existential condition in the first part and the metaphysical understanding of human nature in the second part, is an attempt to offer a metaphysical explanation of existential loneliness.

Jeanne Magnetti is a multidisciplinary PhD student working between the school of Philosophy, Theology and Music, and the school of Law and Governance. Her research explores the ethical implications of carbon pricing policy. She has previously worked as a researcher and analyst within the global governance and non-profit sector. Jeanne graduated with a BA in International Relations from SUNY Geneseo in 2016 and obtained an MA in International Relations from University College Dublin in 2018.

I studied music and French at UCC and subsequently did a taught masters in Opera Studies at the University of Leeds (where I became a Leeds Utd supporter for my sins!).  After graduating from Leeds, I spent two and a half years in Sierra Leone, West Africa, with Voluntary Services Overseas, lecturing in music at a primary teacher-training college.  On my return to Ireland, I did some part-time lecturing in TCD, the National College of Ireland and Mary Immaculate College in Limerick before moving to Cork, where I have lectured on the BMus degree course at CIT Cork School of Music since 2004.  I teach modules on Women in Music, Opera Studies, and music history from 1800 to the present day.

In a parallel career as an arts administrator, I have worked in a wide variety of posts from Marketing Assistant to General Manager with organisations including Universal Edition music publishers in London, Opera North in Leeds, Opera Theatre Company, the Contemporary Music Centre, Crash Ensemble and the Irish Association of Youth Orchestras.  In 2017 I co-founded a concert series of music by women composers Finding a Voice with my sister Cliona, in my hometown of Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.  The concerts take place over four days around International Women’s Day (8^th March) and feature leading Irish and international performers.

I live in West Cork with my husband and two daughters as well as our newest addition to the family, a toy poodle-Shih Tzu puppy.  I love living by the coast as I get to swim in the sea and walk on the beach every day.  Right now, I really miss singing in choirs, as it’s something I’ve done throughout my life but hopefully will get back to again soon.

About me: I am Angelos Mavropoulos and I am from Thessaloniki, Greece. I have master in Christian Ethics and Sociology Christianity from Aristotle University’s Faculty of Theology. I also possess a certificate of postgraduate Education on Medical Deontology and Bioethics from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

   I have developed a broad interest in Christian Theology and more specifically in how Christian Ethics can guide modern people and society into taking the right moral decisions. During my Christian Ethics courses for my Master’s, I studied the field of Bioethics and Medical Ethics, which immediately appealed to me. This is the field that I wish to follow, my inclination, the subject that excites and fulfills my scholarly interests and pursuits. Furthermore, I have long had an interest in modern scientific and scholarly disciplines and medicine and I found dealing with the human body and the prospects that modern medicine can provide to it, extremely interesting. Thus, during the course of my studies, I was intrigued by the prospect of combining the fields of Religious Studies and Medical Ethics, particularly in conjunction with the subject of body modification which has not been widely researched and offers the potential for further theological analysis.

   My ultimate ambition is to work within the academic sector, I want my work to be widely acknowledged and sensitize as many people possible, since my proposed research deals with a contemporary and universal issue. Moreover, as my project is comparative between two different Christian traditions, an ultimate aspiration of mine is for it to contribute to the inter-denominational and inter-confessional dialogue and discourse and to bring together people from both traditions, whether they belong to the traditional academic sector or not.

Mahon is a Philosophy PhD researcher studying the ethical issues of Social Media Companies monetising users’ attention. His background is in philosophy, economics, creative writing and marketing. He received his BA in Economics & Philosophy from University College Dublin and his MA in Creative Writing from Queen’s University Belfast. His stage plays have been performed in the Lyric Theatre, Seamus Heaney Centre Belfast, Rua Red Gallery and awarded the Dublin Fringe festival's 'Fringe-lab 50' in 2020. Additional he is very involved in online communications, having a podcast and blog on philosophy and ethics for personal growth and development which has been top ten self-improvement and education in Ireland. His PhD work ultimately aims at laying the ethical foundations for the future regulation of social media technology. 

My professional background is in mental health nursing where I worked as a clinician and then senior nurse manager with the Health Service Executive before taking a different career direction in 2005.  I was a lecturer and clinical tutor in mental health at The School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin for approximately 13 years until retirement in 2018.  My main responsibilities were teaching, academic administration and research. I was involved in a number of interdisciplinary research projects with the mental health team and clinical partners in Trinity, which involved evaluations of mental health and intellectual disability interventions.  I co-authored a number of peer-reviewed publications based on these research projects. I  also lectured on mental health topics at Dundalk Institute of Technology for periods. I completed the MA in Theology in DCU in September 2020.

Personal:

A native of Monaghan, I now reside in Co. Louth. What I love most in life is spending time with my adult children and grandchildren. For leisure pursuits, I enjoy walking and trekking and I also like to travel, which is obviously curtailed at the moment due to the Covid-19 restrictions. I particularly enjoy visiting the West of Ireland, where one of my favourite locations is amidst the Karst topography of the Burren landscape.

My research is focused on the choral and solo vocal works of the British composer, Dame Ethel Smyth. I am particularly interested in the context surrounding these works and will approach this facet of Smyth's oeuvre from an interdisciplinary perspective. My broader academic interests include the role of women in music; the relationship between music and literature; and hermeneutic analysis.

I moved from Shropshire (UK) to Ireland in 2019 to embark on the PhD and haven’t looked back! I am a founding member of the Dublin Musicology Collective, a network established for the social wellbeing of music graduate students based in Dublin and beyond. I am also the part-time administrator for the Society for Musicology in Ireland. In my spare time I love to read, explore the countryside, and swim in the sea.

I am from the Netherlands and I have lived in Dublin for about a year now. Besides terribly missing salty liquorice and Dutch apples, I enjoy life in Dublin. 

I have studied Classics and Religious Studies. In my PhD I will focus on papal Names, exploring the characteristics and significance of the pope’s Name choice, and analyzing the use of the Name as a tool in papal politics and narratives.

I have been to Rome countless times and hope to return there, for leisure or research. At the moment, nevertheless, I will stick to nearby outings such as Bull island and the Botanic gardens.

Laura is a music educator, choral composer and researcher from Offaly. She completed her undergraduate studies in Music and Religious Education at Mater Dei Institute of Education (Dublin City University), followed by a diploma in Advanced Choral Conducting and Kodály Music Pedagogy at the Kodály Institute of the Liszt Academy of Music in Hungary. Laura also holds a First Class Honours Master’s Degree in Choral Studies from DCU. She is an active choral singer with Laetare Vocal Ensemble, Dublin and was composer-in-residence for Dublin Youth Choir in 2020. Her choral compositions have been published by Cailíno Music Publishers and have been performed by choral groups in Ireland and abroad.

Laura’s research focuses on Irish contemporary choral composers’ approaches to text-setting, seeking to highlight the compositional techniques used by composers to narrate poetic texts and their underlying meaning through music. She is particularly interested in investigating the importance of storytelling in Irish choral composers’ works and the communication of their personal interpretation of texts in the journey from text to music.

Laura is a member of the Society for Musicology in Ireland and serves on the Kodály Ireland committee. She is also a piano accompanist, with a particular love for musical theatre. In her spare time, Laura enjoys traveling, running, watching sport, and supporting her favourite football team, Liverpool FC.

I completed my MSc degree in Philosophy of Science from London School of Economics in 2020. Apart from the courses in philosophy, I undertook courses on political science, geography and public policy at LSE. Writing political ecology essays and reading several case studies about decision-making under uncertainty has taught me that one can deploy analytical and methodological skills from philosophy to tackle real-world issues.

My PhD research focuses on the practice of Nudging as a context-designing tool to mitigate the problem of climate change. While it seems that nudging has the potential to improve the relationship of people with the environment effectively, there are some ethical concerns that deem the practice to be paternalistic and manipulative in nature. I intend to explore the ethical dilemmas and explore how nudging can be an effective tool to tackle climate catastrophe.

My academic interests have been interdisciplinary in nature. Prior to pursuing MSc at LSE, I completed my undergraduate degree in Physics from Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra in 2019. I have tried my hands at theatre during my undergraduate days, and I write poetry sometimes. For leisure, I enjoy painting sceneries. I am fond of gardening and pets.

Originally hailing from Hampton, Virginia on the east coast of the USA, Abigail has lived and worked in China, Hawai`i, Belfast, Dublin and now finds herself living in Blarney in Co Cork. She is an ordained priest in the Church of Ireland and serving as Associate Minister in the Carrigrohane Union of Parishes while precariously balancing part-time study! She earned her BA in International Relations from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia; an MA in Asian Studies, from the University of Hawai`i; an MTh from Queen's University Belfast (Title: The Role of Interfaith Dialogue in the Practice of Christian Spirituality); and an MTh from TCD, the dissertation for which was subsequently published as part of the Church of Ireland Theological Institute's Braemor Studies Series under the title 'Let Us Celebrate The Feast – Holy Communion and Building the Community' in 2016. Abigail is part of the steering committee for the Sanctuary in Faith Stream within Places of Sanctuary Ireland and is a member of the Church of Ireland Interfaith Working Group. She is keenly interested in how Christian faith is expressed and embodied in multi-cultural and multi-faith society.

Hello! My Name is Holly Woods. I am a post-primary music teacher and choral conductor based in Dublin. I am passionate about music education and also a self-confessed choral nerd – which makes DCU’s School of Theology, Philosophy and Music a wonderful place to be! I am researching children’s songs because I am curious as to what type of music Irish children make, by themselves and with others. Almost no information exists on this, so I decided the best place to start exploring this curiosity of mine was probably in the past. I hope that by studying historical song collections, and by finding out what sort of songs children used to sing in Ireland, I can provide a foundation for further study in this field – whether that’s by musicians, teachers, psychologists, anthropologists… Children’s songs seem to fascinate lots of scholars around the world, and hopefully Ireland is starting to catch up. In the meantime, I manage my aforementioned choral-nerd affliction by singing with award-winning chamber choir New Dublin Voices. I also love the outdoors, and on any morning of the week (when I’m not researching, ahem…) you might find me swimming in the sea, out horse-riding, and/or chasing our family’s obstinate beagle hound around the public parks and beaches of north Dublin. For enquiries about arranging choral workshops in schools, I would be delighted to hear from you via email.

Michael is a graduate of the CIT Cork School of Music, with a BMus in piano performance, piano accompaniment and chamber music, and a MA in piano and organ accompaniment. He also holds diplomas in piano performance (dipABRSM), piano teaching (DipLCM TD), organ performance (ALCM) and a licentiate diploma in vocal and instrumental accompaniment (LLCM). Michael works extensively as a recital accompanist in the Munster area and has been an official vocal accompanist with the Irish Youth Choir in 2019, Limerick Sings since 2017, Feis Maitiú since 2014 and with the Féile Luimní since 2011.

Michael is passionate about musical theatre and has musically directed many award-winning productions, including bare with the CIT Musical Society (where he won a national AIMS award for “Best Musical Director” and “Best Chorus”) and The Producers (AIMS award for “Best Chorus”) with The Cecilian Musical Society. He is particularly interested in contemporary musical theatre – musically directing the Irish premieres of Carrie and Bad Girls (CIT Musical Society) and forming his own theatre company, NMT Productions, in 2014, musically directing and producing the Irish Premieres of When Midnight Strikes, LIFT and Dogfight.

Michael’s interest in contemporary musical theatre, coupled with over a decade of experience playing in the pit for musical theatre societies around the country, has led him to his research topic. Jason Robert Brown is an award-winning American musical theatre composer whose output currently consists of six musicals, a short choral work, contributions to a Broadway musical and several solo albums.  Through multi-modal analysis, Michael’s research will comprehensively explore Brown’s compositional style, while documenting how he references other styles of music and comparing his works to those of other musical theatre writers.

Rodrigo Almonte is a musician, educator and PhD researcher in rhythmic studies and ethnomusicology. His current research involves an investigation into the Analysis of “Non Tempered" rhythms and swing percentages in Andean Peruvian traditional music in order to develop an alternative approach to Metric Modulation. Rodrigo graduated with a BA in Jazz Performance from Newpark Music Centre in 2017. In 2020 he received a Cum Laude Master in Jazz Performance from Prins Claus Conservatory in The Netherlands. For over 10 years, Rodrigo has performed, composed and recorded music with various ensembles as a leader and side man internationally. He is the co-founder fo The Peruvian Jazz Project, a project aiming to catalog and accurately transcribe traditional Peruvian music. Rodrigo released his debut album as a leader “Distancia” in 2021 which was described as: “a unique travelogue centered around Almonte's guitar and its shimmering sonic similarities to the music of guitarists such as Pat Metheny and Terje Rypdal, sometimes even Tal Farlow.” 

Links:

https://www.rodrigoalmonte.com

Viji, from India, is pursuing his research located at the intersection of Theology and Subaltern Studies. His research seeks to examine two subaltern public discourses, Subaltern Studies and the theological appeal to subalternity. He aims to develop a “Subaltern Dialectical Boundary Discourse” for a borderless Church (a just and inclusive community). Previously he earned his Bachelor of Divinity (Hons.) in 2004 from the United Theological College, Bangalore and the Master of Theology in 2008 from the Federated Faculty for Research in Religion and Culture, Kottayam. Being an ordained minister in the Church of South India (a member of the Anglican Communion), he has spent almost fifteen years with several marginalised communities. Besides, he has also engaged in building eco-justice, inter-church communion and inter-faith dialogue.

He has already done two research works, one in the area of subaltern pneumatology, developing a new area called ‘Dalithics,’ by re-reading the Christian understanding of Holy Spirit in light of the Dalit understanding of the Mother Earth, and another, interdisciplinary research on Liturgical Theology and Ecclesiology.  He has edited and co-edited several books and authored several articles about ecclesiology and ethics, caste and gender studies, inter-religious studies, subaltern studies, liberation, postcolonial and public theologies, and liturgical studies which are his research interests.

In Dublin, he voluntarily serves as the Vicar of the CSI Congregation, as well as the president of an ecumenical union of Churches belonging to the Catholic, Protestant, Reformed and Eastern traditions. Both these roles offer prospects for him to practise the concepts that he explores in his current research on subaltern ecclesiology. During his leisure, Viji enjoys music (he composes hymns and lyrics), sports (cricket and football), engaging in meaningful conversations, and social networking. After his PhD, he plans to return to his Church and engage in theological education, particularly in the area of subaltern studies and theology.

Name: David Mark Dunning

Thesis Title: Gendering and Queering Theological Anthropology: Historical Perspectives and Contemporary Challenges

Supervisors: Dr Ethna Regan and Dr Joseph Rivera

Email: david.dunning2@mail.dcu.ie

Name: Mohammad Hosseini

Thesis title: Ethics of contributor role ontologies and taxonomies

Supervisors: Professor Bert Gordijn and Dr Jonathan Lewis

Email: mohammad.hosseini2@mail.dcu.ie

Name: Áine Mulvey

Thesis Title: Song Literature in Ireland: The Influence of the Irish Cultural Revival (1891-1922)

Supervisor: Dr John O’Flynn

Email: aine.mulvey3@mail.dcu.ie

Name: Marcellinus Azukaoma Uche Osakwe

Thesis Title: Nigerian Postcolonial Thought and Peace Process In Northern Nigeria

Supervisor: Dr Peter Admirand

Email: marcellinus.osakwe2@mail.dcu.ie

Name: Orla Shannon

Thesis Title: The Forgotten Female: Twentieth Century Irish Art Music and the Cultural Politics of Revival

Supervisor: Dr. Seán Doherty

Email: orla.shannon2@mail.dcu.ie

Name: Viji Varghese Eapen

Areas of Research: Subaltern Studies, Liberation Theology, Ecclesiology and Liturgical Theology

Thesis Title: Consulting the Subalterns: Developing a Subaltern Dialectical Boundary Discourse for a Borderless Church

Supervisor: Dr Ethna Regan

Email: viji.eapen2@mail.dcu.ie