PhD Students

Phillip’s research at Dublin City University explores the philosophy of place and space in contemporary secular spiritual practice. He has written and presented academic works on the phenomenology of place, 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 addition to this current research, Phillip also has expertise in religious education and pastoral ministry. He holds a master’s degree in religion (M.Div) from Nazarene Theological Seminary (Kansas City, USA) and a 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 minister for the Methodist church in the United States. When he’s not on campus, you can find him watching English football, writing in a local coffee shop, or at home cooking an overly complicated dinner for his wife and son. 

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 examines the 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 was born and raised on the island of Saint Lucia. She obtained her B.A from Grambling State University and went on to earn a Master of Divinity from the Interdenominational Theological Center. 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, and the Diaspora. 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, and feminist theory to argue that Salome was an abused child. Prior to joining DCU, Princess was the social media manager at a Saint-Lucian domestic violence nonprofit and she ls taught English briefly at a local secondary school. When she is not on campus, you can find her watching French films, historical documentaries, and fantasy series, writing in a local coffee shop, or at home cooking Caribbean, Indian and Italian dishes or baking delicious breads or pastries.

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.

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 research focuses on eco-theology and its relevance to contemporary issues such as climate change, drawing on valuable insights from the work of Celia Deane-Drummond, a prominent scholar in the field of Eco-theology. My academic journey began at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, where I earned a Baccalaureate in Theology and Arts in 2007. In 2009, I completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Education at Trinity College, Dublin. My commitment to leadership and pastoral care led me to All Hallows College (Dublin City University), where I received an MA in Leadership and Pastoral Care in 2011. In 2022, I furthered my studies by earning an MA in Theology and World Religions from DCU. I am dedicated to exploring the intersections of religious education, eco-justice, and ethical consumerism. As a mother of four young children and a full-time post-primary teacher, my passion for theology, climate care, and social justice informs my research agenda. I aim to raise awareness amongst my students about sustainability and ethical living by integrating these themes into my teaching. My thesis investigates the intrinsic value of nature through ethical theories whilst addressing the complexities of human existence in an age marked by ecological crisis.

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.

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 has a background in policy research and nonprofit management. She received a BA in International Relations from the State University of New York at Geneseo and an MA in International Relations from University College Dublin. Her PhD focuses on ethical components in the design and implementation of carbon pricing instruments.

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.

Mahon McCann is an Irish philosopher and writer living in Dublin. He holds a BA in Philosophy & Economics from University College Dublin and an MA in Creative Writing from Queen’s University, Belfast. He works as a PhD candidate on the ethics of Social Media company's attention-economy business model at Dublin City University Institute of Ethics. He is a part-time lecturer in Philosophy. He was awarded the DCU School of Theology, Philosophy, and Music Scholarship in 2022. His philosophy podcast has featured top-ten self-improvement and education in Ireland and top one hundred in Sweden, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Finland, Belgium, and Turkey. His work generally focuses on enhancing and protecting human agency, meaning and autonomy in the digital age. 

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 choral composer, researcher, and music educator from Offaly. She completed her undergraduate studies at Mater Dei Institute of Education (Dublin City University), before undertaking an Advanced Diploma in Choral Conducting and Kodály Music Pedagogy at the Kodály Institute of the Liszt Academy in Hungary, and an MA in Choral Studies at DCU. She is an active choral singer with Laetare Vocal Ensemble. Her choral compositions have been published by Oxford University Press and Cailíno Music Publishers and have been performed by choral groups in Ireland and abroad. Laura’s research focuses on the choral works of contemporary Irish composers Rhona Clarke and Eoghan Desmond, analysing their approaches to text setting and their respective compositional styles. 

Sukanya Shukla is a PhD student at the School of Theology, Philosophy, and Music. Her research focuses on the ethical implementation of behavioral interventions aimed at addressing climate change, with specific focus on the ethical issues surrounding green nudging. She received a fellowship from the Mercatus Centre at George Mason University during her PhD. Before pursuing her doctorate in ethics, Sukanya has a master's degree in the Philosophy of Science from the London School of Economics (LSE) and a bachelor's degree in Physics from BIT Mesra, India.

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 a board member for 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.

Holly O’Grady is a doctoral researcher cataloguing and analysing archival records of Irish children's musical play at the School of Theology, Philosophy & Music at Dublin City University. She is a highly experienced soprano and currently holds the position of Lay Vicar Choral at Christ Cathedral Dublin. Holly was a Sarolta Kodály Scholar at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Budapest, where she completed a Master's in Music Pedagogy, achieving distinction. As part of her studies, she researched the use of Kodály pedagogy within Ireland's Early Childhood Education Framework. She holds a Diploma in Vocal Pedagogy from the Academy's Kodály Institute, for which she was awarded the Institute's prestigious "Red Diploma"​ for outstanding musical and academic excellence. Holly is also a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and the Royal Irish Academy of Music, from which she holds an honours degree in Music Education. 

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.

Obumneke Anyanwu is a dedicated researcher and cultural enthusiast with a strong interest in African cinema, specifically, Nollywood film music. With a background in music and multi-media, she is currently completing her PhD at Dublin City University, Ireland where her research explores cultural heritage in Nollywood film music. Obumneke Anyanwu has been awarded the 2024 Government of Ireland postgraduate Scholarship. Her research interest includes music and multimedia, cultural and heritage studies and music education.

Hamidreza Golestanisani, born in 1994, is an Iranian composer who has delved into both mathematics and Iranian music composition. With a Master's degree in composition from the London College of Music, he is doing his PhD in Music Composition at Dublin City University. Golestanisani's compositions have earned recognition worldwide, including the Second Prize in the Balsys International Composition Competition for his piece "The Angel of Darkness," performed by the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra. He has collaborated with renowned ensembles such as the Mifune Trio, Phacelea Ensemble, and Alda Dizdari, with his works performed across the UK, Europe, North America, and Iran. Golestanisani's academic achievements include winning the Mona Blackman Prize for academic excellence and securing the first prize in the flute category at the 4th Tehran Contemporary Music Festival's Emerging Composer Scheme. www.hamidrezagolestanisani.com

My research proposes a return to the body and a reorientation towards the founding principles of enlightenment. I explore a newer language of the body; defined by the philosophical and theoretical possibilities oscillating between body and human, corporeality and nature, self and other, interiority and exteriority. Where the Body remains the most important site of analysis: my focus is on the physical thinking body, the experiential qualities of the body, to unfold the profound presence and determinable properties of the ethical and emotive Body.” Frances is currently a first year PhD student in Philosophy under the advisory of Dr. Ian Leask who enjoyed a formation in Scholastic Philosophy. At present she is thinking through and writing on the works of Edmund Husserl and Merleau-Ponty. Before her turn to philosophy, Frances pursued her academic scholarship in the field of Performance Studies in the UK & US. She received her MA in Performance Studies from New York University. Prior to moving to Ireland for her PhD, Frances taught academically, took up advisory roles, and was Chair of a UK national portfolio organisation. Her philosophical enquiry into the body and world has evolved in a scholarly, passionate, and committed manner over time.

melissa.campbell42@mail.dcu.ie

isobel.dickson2@mail.dcu.ie

mark.keane47@mail.dcu.ie

rebecca.kelly237@mail.dcu.ie

lucia.macpartlin2@mail.dcu.ie

michael.mulkerrin3@mail.dcu.ie

vivienne.obrien9@mail.dcu.ie

Name: David Mark Dunning

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

Supervisors: Dr Ethna Regan and Dr Joseph Rivera

Name: Mohammad Hosseini

Thesis title: Ethics of contributor role ontologies and taxonomies

Supervisors: Professor Bert Gordijn and Dr Jonathan Lewis

Name: Áine Mulvey

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

Supervisor: Dr John O’Flynn

Name: Marcellinus Azukaoma Uche Osakwe

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

Supervisor: Dr Peter Admirand

Name: Orla Shannon

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

Supervisor: Dr. Seán Doherty

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

Name: Linda Adams

Area of Research: Music Cognition

Thesis Title: Investigating Harmonic Expectation

Supervisor: Dr. Patricia Flynn

Name: John Alderdice

Areas of Research: Part-time PhD researcher exploring the relationship between Ordained Ministry in the Methodist Church in Ireland and Servant Leadership Theory.

Working Thesis Title: Servant Leadership as a paradigm for Ordained Ministry in the contemporary Methodist Church in Ireland. 

Supervisors: Dr Gabriel Flynn and Prof Patrick Flood (DCU Business School)

Name: Freya Dasgupta

Areas of Research: Jewish-Christian relations, Interfaith dialogue, Yiddish Literature, Jewish Studies

Thesis Title: In Pursuit of the Kingdom: Jewish-Christian Reconciliation in Sholem Asch's Fiction and Its Relevance to Interfaith Dialogue

Supervisors: Dr Peter Admirand and Dr Jonathan Kearney

Name: Tony Devlin 

Areas of Research: Authority, Control and Dissent in post-Vatican II Catholicism, including the historical development of the concept of orthodoxy, Vatican II perspectives on doctrinal development, orthodoxy and control, Vatican II reception and the associated crises in magisterial authority, the attitudes to dissent evidenced in successive papacies, challenges and the nature of dissent in the 3rd millennium, the future for a pastoral magisterium 

Thesis Title: Theological Dissent – From Vatican II to the New Millennium

Supervisor: Dr Ethna Regan

Name: Martin Della Vecchia

Research Area: Music Composition

Title: Portfolio of Original Compositions with Commentary

Supervisor: Dr Seán Doherty

Name:  Angelos Mavropoulos

Areas of research: Theology, Religious Studies, Christian Ethics, and Bioethics

Thesis Title: The Ethical Consideration of Body Modification: A comparative case study of Tattooing and Body Piercing practices between Catholic and Orthodox perspectives

Supervisor: Dr. John Murray

Name: Padraig McBennett

Thesis Title: Empirical Exploration of the Religious Landscape and Spiritual Marketplace of a Post-Catholic Ireland: Perspectives of a Younger Demographic

Supervisor: Dr Joseph Rivera

Name: Hannah Millington

Thesis title: Beyond The Suffragette: Reclaiming Ethel Smyth’s Vocal Works for the Twenty-First Century

Supervisor: Dr Róisín Blunnie