Elizabeth is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the School of Applied Social Studies in UCC currently working with Associate Professor Dr Siobhan O’Sullivan and Dr Martin Galvin on the Horizon Europe-funded GreenInCities project through the Institute for Social Science in the 21st century (ISS21) and Collective Social Futures at UCC. The GreenInCities research project aims to adapt methodologies and tools to co-create innovative nature-based solutions in the deprived area of Knocknaheeny for the purposes of collaborative climate mitigation, adaptation, and sustainable urban planning and regeneration. Additionally, after completing a Senior Research Fellow contract for the Engage SDGs project in September 2026, Elizabeth will be working on the AMPLIFY project from 1 October 2026 to develop an ethics plan for the EU-funded project. AMPLIFY aims to strengthen Europe’s disaster preparedness and resilience by connecting citizens, authorities, civil society, first responders and creative practitioners to co-create inclusive, context-specific risk communication solutions that bridge scientific knowledge with artistic and cultural practices such as storytelling, theatre, music and digital arts to make disaster risks tangible, relevant, emotive and actionable for all, particularly vulnerable and underrepresented groups. 

Teaching Activities

Elizabeth has contributed to a number of undergraduate courses within the School of Applied Social Studies. Her teaching reflects a commitment to teaching and learning in social policy, engaged participatory research processes, and youth and community work. Elizabeth has taught the following modules: SS1130 (Contemporary Issues in Youth and Community Work); SS2101 (Communication for Youth & Community Work); SS3052 (Qualitative Research Methods with Children); SS4214 (Action Research Study); SS2107 (Social Theory II). Elizabeth also has extensive experience supervising undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Research interests

Elizabeth's research interests include community-based participatory research approaches to engagement in areas of disadvantage, interdisciplinary research, education policy, and communication policy and theory. Research goals are to further develop experience working on participatory research processes in the co-creation of knowledge.