BA MPlan PhD MIPI MILI

Dr Karen Ray is a qualified planner and landscape/environmental specialist. She is a core member of the teaching team in the Department of Planning and its flagship Masters in Planning and Sustainable Development (MPlan). Following on from a B.A. in English and Geography, she became a graduate of the foundation MPlan class in 2008 and has since worked in both academic and professional practice. After completing the first doctoral degree in Planning and Sustainable Development at UCC, she worked as a planning and landscape/environmental consultant in the multi-disciplinary built environment firm Brady Shipman Martin, coordinating assessments for large-scale projects for public and private sectors.Throughout the years, Karen has been involved in a wide range of projects throughout Ireland and Northern Ireland, from strategic contexts to detailed design. 

Since 2011, and continuing while in professional practice, Karen has contributed to teaching and research in the CPER and was involved in the development of an MA in Landscape, Built Heritage and Design. She has contributed to undergraduate teaching/study visits for the Department of Geography and teaches introductory planning modules for the Departments of Sociology and Criminology, and Applied Social Studies. Her teaching and research interests broadly relate to planning education; planning for landscape and the environment; landscape/place values; natural resources (incl. renewable energy); planning in coastal environments; conflict and power relations; communication and observation skills.

Karen holds professional corporate membership of both the Irish Planning Institute and the Irish Landscape Institute.

Karen's is also passionate about and active in the arts in Ireland and within the wider UCC community through The UCC Players staff drama group, directing, producing, writing, singing and acting within highly successful productions for campus and beyond. She has been a key driver in bringing highly-regarded and sell-out plays and musical productions to UCC, including Agatha Christie's Murder on the Nile (2019), Willy Russel's Educating Rita (2022), and Let's Go to the Movies (2023) which brought together staff, alumni, students, and members of the wider community in Cork and beyond for immersive live theatre in the beautiful Aula  Maxima. The theme of continuing education was central to Educating Rita, with the production shining a spotlight on opportunities for continuing education in UCC through UCC Access and ACE, as well as the work of Cork Learning Neighbourhoods. Other productions include The Wisdom of Eve (2023) directly by Dr Brenda Lynch and a second run of Educating Rita (2024), both at the Cork Arts Theatre. In 2024 she assisted The UCC Players for Brian Friel's Aristocrats, directed by Dr Ger Fitzgibbon. 

Karen has performed in a number of historical works, including Tg4's Scealta Grá na hEireann (Kitty Kiernan), and sung as part of 100 Years of Women, in the Aula Maxima, attended by First Lady Sabina Higgins and ministers, and Women's Voices in Ireland's history in Devere Hall - both written & directed by Dr Finola Doyle O'Neill.

Karen is currently in rehearsals for their next production, The Professor on the Road to Death, a murder mystery production written by Dr Brenda Lynch (Nov 2025). 

Research interests mainly relate to planning education, planning and management of wider landscape, landscape and visual assessment, environmental management and assessment; local place values; natural resource management (incl. renewable energy); natural heritage management, planning in coastal environments; conflict and power relations in the planning arena. 

Karen completed the first doctoral thesis in planning at UCC, entitled: Landscape and Planning: Strengthening Discussions in the Decision-Making Process. It explored how landscape/landscape issues are manifest in real-world day-to-day planning processes at different scales, from routine applications/appeals and major cases, to Landscape Character Assessments & Strategic Environmental Assessments as part of development plans. It outlined new approaches for improving decision-making in practice, as well as for teaching within university settings and CPD training of planning professionals in both public and private sectors. 

Karen has an active relationship with AESOP, the Association of European Schools of Planning, promoting excellence in planning education and research. Karen has also recently contributed to the journal under the theme of changing contexts for planning education (2022), presented papers at annual AESOP conferences, and received an AESOP award for teaching excellence in 2020.

MPlan Modules & Undergraduate Teaching
PD6112  Drawing, Communication & Observation (Lecturer/coordinator)
PD6120  Landscape Character, Context & Change (Lecturer/coordinator)
PD6205  Planning & Management of Natural Resources (Lecturer/coordinator)
PD6217 Expanded Research Paper (Coordinator; supervision)
PD6209 International Planning Systems & Approaches (Study week abroad - Second Year MPlan)
PD6227  Planning and Landscape in Rural Environments (Study visits, Ireland - combined with PD6120)
SS3033: Issues in Planning & Sustainable Development (Lecturer/coordinator)
GG3027 Regional and Local Planning Issues and Policies (Guest)

Other Programme Contributions:
Programme co-ordinator for the MA in Landscape, Built Heritage and Design*
Lecturer on PGDip in Planning and Sustainable Development (parallel modules with Y1 MPlan)