Dr. Serena FitzGerald is currently working as a lecturer at the Catherine McAuley School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork. She is programme coordinator for the MSc in Nursing Studies. She teaches and coordinates modules at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, mainly in the areas of research methods and evidence-based nursing, fundamental knowledge/skills for nursing practice, and nursing management of challenging acute nursing episodes. Serena currently supervises a number of students on MSc and PhD programmes. Serena is a Fellow of the Centre for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL), UCC. As part of this role she supports staff and postgraduate students who teach in higher education. In her role as Director of the Early Career Research Committee (In-Touch Project, Horizon 2020), she creates innovative mechanisms to engage with early career researchers, build research capacity and supports the development of key leadership skills in early career researchers. Serena is Chair for the All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC) Early Career Research Forum (ECRF) and Vice-President (UCC) Sigma Omega Epsilon at-Large Chapter Serena holds a PhD in the area of HPV cancer prevention and a Masters in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, UCC. She is a Registered General Nurse (RGN) with a clinical background in practice nursing, and in the areas of older adults, cardiology and stroke rehabilitation.

Serena is a member of the Cancer Research Group E◊CASP (Enhancing Cancer Awareness and Survivorship Programmes) The two major research foci within the E◊CASP are: 1.Cancer awareness within the broader spectrum of health promotion 2.Support of patients and significant others on the cancer survivorship journey, with a particular focus on understanding the needs of individuals on the cancer journey and the development and testing of targeted interventions for individuals with cancer and their family/loved ones. The twitter page for the E◊CASP is: https://twitter.com/e_casp Key Research Interests: Cancer Prevention, Palliative Care, Health Behaviours, The Human Papillomavirus (HPV), Sexual Health, Men's Health, Education, Primary/Long Term Care. In March 2015, Serena successfully defended her PhD thesis titled: "The Human Papillomavirus and Cancer: A Multiphase Study Investigating Preventative Behaviours in Young Males". In 2017, Serena was awarded a honours Masters Degree for her dissertation in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.