Research output per year
Research output per year
Personal profile
Research Interests
Professor McCarthy's research is rooted in consumer behaviour, with a particular emphasis on food, health, and sustainability. Her work delves into the everyday practices of individuals, examining the cognitive and contextual processes that inform decision-making and the acceptance of innovative, often disruptive, solutions. Her approach is deeply interdisciplinary, and she has led and collaborated on research projects involving cross-institutional and international teams.
Biography
Professor Mary McCarthy is an established academic in the field of Marketing and currently serves as Vice Dean for Research and Innovation at the Cork University Business School and the College of Business and Law, University College Cork (UCC). She is also a Co-Principal Investigator on the Impact Platform of the Research Ireland (RI) VistaMilk Centre (Phase II), and a former Principal Investigator with the HRB Centre for Diet and Health Research. In addition, she is actively engaged in as a collaborator within the RI Co-Centre for Sustainable Food Systems and BiOrbic.
Between 2020 and 2024, Mary has secured approximately €500,000 in research funding from both national and international agencies, including the European Union. Her scholarship bridges academic theory and real-world application, offering evidence-based insights to inform policy while positioning contemporary consumer trends within broader societal and cultural contexts.
She has made substantial contributions to the academic community, having published over 90 peer-reviewed journal articles, achieving a Scopus h-index of 34, and amassing over 7,500 citations on Google Scholar (h-index: 45; i10-index: 82). Her expertise is widely recognised, leading to appointments as an expert reviewer for major international research initiatives and external examiner for PhD examinations. She has successfully supervised nine PhD students and continues to mentor postdoctoral researchers and early-career scholars.
Her career exemplifies a commitment to interdisciplinary research that informs both academic discourse and real-world practice in the realms of food systems, public health, and consumer behaviour.
Qualifications
|
Date |
Qualification |
Awarding Body |
|
2003 |
PhD |
University of Reading |
|
1991 |
MBA |
St. Josephs University, Philadelphia, USA |
|
1989 |
BSc Food Business |
University College Cork |
|
1997 |
Dip Dairy Science |
University College Cork |
Research Grants
|
Title |
Period |
Role |
Collaborators |
Funder |
€ |
|
A new GENeration of Irish MILK products based on optimisation of diet and GENetics in Irish dairy cows. |
2026-2030 |
PI |
Dr Sean Tanner, Dr J. Magan (Teagasc) |
Department of Agriculture, Food & Marine |
185,063 |
|
Dairy Farming and Sustainability: Perceptions of what farming was, is and will be through the eyes of producers and consumers |
2025- 2029 |
PI |
Professor Maeve Henchion (Teagasc); Dr Claire O’Neill |
Research Ireland (BiOrbic) via Walsh Fellowship |
122,000 |
|
Media framing of farm diversification and consequential interpretations: impact on farmer identity and motivation to change/diversification |
2025- 2029 |
PI |
Professor Maeve Henchion(Teagasc); Dr Sean Tanner |
Research Ireland (Co-Centre for Sustainable Food Systems) via Walsh Fellowship |
122,000 |
|
EMIT-Change: Explaining Climate Change Mitigation Uptake Behaviour Change Dynamics: Farmers’ Attitudes, Motivations, and Barriers |
2025-2027 |
Co-PI |
Mohammad Mohammadrezaei (Teagasc); Dr Claire O’Neill |
Department of Agriculture, Food & Marine |
88,038 |
|
Consumer acceptance of sustainable dairy solutions |
2025-2029 |
PI |
Dr Sean Tanner (UCC); Drs E Crofton and B Lahart (Teagasc) |
Research Ireland (VistaMilk II) |
168,500 |
|
Food based dietary guidelines for sustainable and healthy lifestyles (SuHeGuide)
|
2020-2023 |
PI
|
Dr S. Mc Carthy (Teagasc); Profs J. Woodside and Nugent (QUB) Profs. E. Gibney and A O’Sullivan (QUB); Profs M Kiely and Janas Harrington (UCC) |
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine |
139,000 |
|
PLATEFORMS - Sustainable Food Platforms: Enabling food practices through socio-technical innovation
|
2018-2021 |
PI |
Drs A. Dulsrud (OsloMet) and C. Fuentes (University of Gothenburg); Prof F Forno (University of Trento) and Prof C.Bauhardt Humbold-Universität zu Berlin, and Dr Claire O’Neill |
Horizon 2020 ERA-NET SUSFOOD2 / Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine (Dublin, IE) |
194,493 |
|
Trust Makers Breakers and Brokers |
2015-2016 |
Co-PI |
Dr Seamus O’Reilly; Profs J. Covney (Flinders University), M. Calnan (University of Kent), A Fearne, (University of East Anglia) |
Safefood |
89,162 |
|
Consumer and Industry Acceptance of Novel Food Technologies
|
2010-2013 |
PI |
Professor Maeve Henchion |
Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine |
222,312 |
|
HRB Centre for Health and Diet Research: Disrupting Routines, Facilitating Control: Exploring a Change Towards Healthier Food Purchasing |
2009-2014 |
PI |
|
Health Research Board under HRB Centre for Health & Diet Research |
69,000 |
|
HRB Centre For Health and Diet Research: Consumer Cognitive Responses to Food |
2008-2014 |
PI |
Profs P Wall (UCD); B Stewart-Knox (University of Bradford); Professor Ivan Perry (UCC) |
Health Research Board under HRB Centre for Health & Diet Research |
375,000 |
Current PhD Students
|
Student Name |
Project |
Supervision Period |
|
Na He |
Perceptions of what farming was, is and will be through the eyes of producers and consumers |
2026-present |
|
Rameesha Ahmad |
Media Framing of Farm Diversification and Consequential Interpretations: Impact on Farmer Identity and Motivation to Change |
2025-present |
|
Niamh Creedon |
Citizen-Consumer Acceptance of Environmentally Sustainable Dairy Products |
2025-present |
|
Jie Luo |
Understanding the Impacts of Climate Change on Farmers and Farmers' Adaptive Behaviors: A Micro-Level Analysis in Shaanxi Province, China |
2025-present |
|
Anusree Mohanan |
Assessing the Economic, Environmental and Social Sustainability of Irish Horticulture |
2025-present |
|
Brid Bourke |
Determinants of consumer Acceptance of Sustainable Healthy Dietary Recommendation |
2021-2026 |
|
Aonghus Ó Céilleachair |
Consumer Experience in Immersive Virtual Environments: A Posthuman Perspective |
2021-present |
Recent PhD Students
|
Student Name |
Project |
Award |
|
Christopher William Moran |
Exploring the Characteristics of Cognitive Dissonance Experienced by Consumers in the Context of Environmental Food Behaviours |
2024 |
|
Sean Tanner |
Exploring the factors influencing consumers’ motivation to use food product labels in their purchase decisions |
2019 |
|
Sarah-Jane Flaherty |
Disrupting Routines, Facilitating Control: Exploring a Change Towards Healthier Food Purchasing Behaviour Using a Health App |
2018 |
External positions
Execuative Board Member, VistaMilk SFI Research Centre
May 2026 → …
Governor, Gurteen Agricultural College
30 Apr 2026 → 29 Apr 2029
Social Research Ethics Committee, Teagasc
1 Jan 2023 → …
Safefood's Advisory Board
2016 → 2019
UCC Futures (primary)
- Food, Microbiome and Health
Other research affiliations
- UCC Futures - Sustainability Institute
- FSRC - Future of Work & the Economy
PhD Supervision
- Available for PhD supervision
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
-
SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
Fingerprint
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
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Acceptance and likelihood of purchasing vitamin D-fortified foods among Irish adults aged 18–65 years: A consumer study with conjoint analysis
McGuinness, L., McCarthy, M., Kiely, M. E. & McCarthy, S. N., 4 Jul 2026, In: Food Quality and Preference. 145, p. 1-12 106038.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Communication, Trust and Acceptance: How Citizen-Consumers Make Sense of Novel Sustainability-Enhancing Dairy Technologies
Creedon, N., Tanner, S. & McCarthy, M., 8 Jul 2026, Proceedings of Academy of Marketing 2026 Annual Conference and Doctoral Colloquium: Breaking Boundaries – Unlocking Potential.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedings › Conference proceeding › peer-review
Open Access -
Design Considerations for Eye-Tracking and Think-Aloud Applications in Dairy Consumption Research
Tanner, S., McCarthy, M., Melios, S. & Crofton, E. C., Nov 2026, (Accepted/In press) Sensory Analysis in the Development and Consumer Perception of Dairy Products. Gomes da Cruz, A., Almeida Esmerino, E. & Colombo, T. (eds.).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedings › Chapter › peer-review
-
Less is More: The Use of Cross Module Projects to Enhance Critical Thinking Skills
Tanner, S. & McCarthy, M., 3 Jun 2026.Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster
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Sustainable healthy diet transitions: An examination of media discourse concerning beef in the United Kingdom From 2018 to 2022
Tanner, S., McCarthy, M. & Giles, D., 15 Apr 2026, In: Sustainable Development. p. 1-15 15 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile
Activities
-
Making Marketing Research Matter: Pathways to Impact
Moran, C. (Co-Organiser), Tanner, S. (Co-Organiser), Alton, D. (Co-Organiser), McCarthy, M. (Co-Organiser), O'Neill, C. (Co-Organiser), Bourke, B. (Co-Organiser) & Repar, L. (Co-Organiser)
8 Jul 2026Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Organising a conference, workshop, ...
-
Academy of Marketing Conference 2025
Alton, D. (Co-Chair), Tanner, S. (Co-Chair) & Mccarthy, M. (Co-Chair)
7 Jul 2025 → 10 Jul 2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Organising a conference, workshop, ...
-
Journal of Marketing Management (Journal)
Tanner, S. (Guest Editor), Alton, D. (Guest Editor), Mccarthy, M. (Guest Editor) & Apostolidis, C. (Guest Editor)
Jul 2025 → 2026Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work › Editorial work
-
Sustainable Food Stories – Told and Untold
Tanner, S. (Chair), Alton, D. (Co-Organiser), Drummond, C. (Co-Organiser) & Mccarthy, M. (Co-Organiser)
12 Feb 2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Organising a conference, workshop, ...
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COMEATED RESEARCH PROJECT
McCarthy, M. (Other), Lambert, É. (Other), Florack, A. (Other), Petrescu-Mag, R. M. (Participant), Efstathiou, S. (Other) & Henchion, M. (Participant)
7 Jan 2024 → 30 Dec 2026Activity: Other activity
Prizes
Press/Media
-
Who Will Farm Europe’s Future? VistaMilk Workshop to Help Shape Next Generation Agricultural Policy
25/06/26
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media
-
City to host marketing conference
Mcdonnell, A., Mccarthy, M., Tanner, S. & Alton, D.
13/11/24
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media
-
Around the Districts: Boherbue, Clondrohid, Kilcorney-Dromtariffe and Western Duhallow02:00
Leader, A. & McCarthy, M.
20/09/24
2 items of Media coverage
Press/Media
-