Sarah Thelen
Research Profile
Sarah Thelen
Biography
Educated at Bowling Green State University (Ohio and American University in Washington, DC, I moved to Ireland in 2010 and received my PhD in US history from American University in 2012. I have taught at American University, Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, and University College Cork and am currently the Lecturer for Teaching and Learning Enhancement (Digital Education) in
the Centre for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning
(CIRTL) at UCC.
Building on over a decade in Instructional Design, I am the programme coordinator for the Certificate in CPD in Digital Education as well as teaching on a variety of CIRTL and UCC programmes. My current research is in student engagement, staff-student interaction, making implicit knowledge/skills explicit, and delivery pathways for CPD.
I also continue to teach, research, and publish in history with a focus on Twentieth Century US political and cultural history. My current work explores the ways that President Nixon sought to use patriotic appeals to rally support for his Vietnam War policies. I have published this research in peer reviewed journals and have contributed to edited collections.
Research Interests
My research is centred around
questions of identity and change.
In Digital Education, this involves research
into continuous professional development, professional identity, and the
changing nature of technology in both higher education and in society more
broadly. As a historian, I explore these
questions through research into national identity and citizenship in the United
States, specifically the ways these ideas shaped presidential efforts to rally
domestic support for the Vietnam War.
Taken together, my historical and
digital education research seek to better understand why change happens and how
individuals respond to (sometimes unwelcome) change. Which, most recently, has
taken the form of wrestling with ways Generative Artificial Intelligence is
changing how we think about assessment and education more broadly.
Research Grants
| Project | Funding Body |
Start Date | End Date | Award | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GenAI LEARN: Literacies and Ethics Activities, Resources and Navigation | Higher Education Authority | 13-MAY-24 | 12-MAY-25 | €20,000.00 | |
| Developing University Capacity in SADC towards Participatory Approaches in Pursuing the SDGs | ERASMUS | 01-DEC-23 | 30-NOV-26 | €799,999.00 | |
| Mainstreaming Active Teaching and the Craft of History (MATCH) | Higher Education Authority | 03-APR-23 | 05-AUG-24 | €30,000.00 | |
| Developing and Implementing Technology-Enhanced Teaching and Learning at Georgian HEIs | ERASMUS | 15-JAN-21 | 14-JAN-24 | €565,554.00 | |
| AI-ntegrity: The Future of Assessments Survey | Higher Education Authority | 13-MAY-24 | 12-MAY-25 | €2,000.00 | |
| Our Digital Future: Research based approach to the design of professional development offerings relating to technology enhanced learning and digital education | The National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education | 01-NOV-21 | €81,000.00 | ||
| A Students as Partners Approach to Analysing Student Engagement Data for Teaching and Learning | Higher Education Authority | 03-APR-23 | 05-AUG-24 | €2,000.00 | |
| Fostering Learners' AI Readiness (FLAIR) | ERASMUS | 30-SEP-24 | 29-NOV-26 | €250,000.00 |
Peer Reviewed Journals
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2024) | 'Are We There (Yet?): An Analysis of SoTL Institutionalization at University College Cork'
Thelen, Sarah, Anna Santucci (2024) 'Are We There (Yet?): An Analysis of SoTL Institutionalization at University College Cork'. New Directions in Teaching and Learning, 177 :35-47 [DOI] [Details] |
|
| (2024) | 'Whose Knowledge Is It Anyway? Epistemic Injustice and the Supervisor Supervisee Relationship'
• Dineen, Katy, Sarah Thelen, and Anna Santucci (2024) 'Whose Knowledge Is It Anyway? Epistemic Injustice and the Supervisor Supervisee Relationship'. Teaching and Learning Inquiry: The ISSOTL Journal, 12 :1-13 [DOI] [Details] |
|
| (2017) | 'Mobilizing the Silent Majority: Nixon’s November 3, 1969 Address on Vietnam'
Sarah J Thelen (2017) 'Mobilizing the Silent Majority: Nixon’s November 3, 1969 Address on Vietnam'. Journal Of American Studies, 51 (3):887-914 [ Publisher's Version] [DOI] [Details] |
|
| (2015) | 'Helping them Along: Astroturf, Public Opinion, and Nixon’s Vietnam War'
Sarah J Thelen (2015) 'Helping them Along: Astroturf, Public Opinion, and Nixon’s Vietnam War'. 49th Parallel, (37):14-33 [ Publisher's Version] [Full Text] [Details] |
Book Chapters
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2022) | '‘The Power of Their Votes’: Richard Nixon, the Silent Majority, and the 1970 Midterm Elections'
Sarah J Thelen (2022) '‘The Power of Their Votes’: Richard Nixon, the Silent Majority, and the 1970 Midterm Elections' In: Patrick Andelic, Mark Mclay, Robert Mason (eds). Midterms and Mandates: Electoral Reassessments of Presidents and Parties. Edinburgh, UK: Edinburgh University Press. [Details] |
|
| (2022) | 'From Dog Whistles to Foghorns: Richard M. Nixon, Donald J. Trump, and Their Silent Majorities'
Sarah J Thelen (2022) 'From Dog Whistles to Foghorns: Richard M. Nixon, Donald J. Trump, and Their Silent Majorities' In: Michael P. Harvey (eds). Dead Precedents: Trump’s Parallel Lives. New York / Oxford: Taylor & Francis / Routledge. [Details] |
|
| (2019) | 'Claiming the Flag: Patriotism and the Nixon White House'
Sarah J Thelen (2019) 'Claiming the Flag: Patriotism and the Nixon White House' In: Geoffrey Jensen and Matthew Stith (eds). Beyond the Quagmire. Denton, TX: University of North Texas Press. [Details] |
|
| (2018) | 'The Importance of Being Popular: Richard Nixon, Hennry Kissinger, and Domestic Support for the Vietnam War'
Sarah J Thelen (2018) 'The Importance of Being Popular: Richard Nixon, Hennry Kissinger, and Domestic Support for the Vietnam War' In: David Ryan, David Fitzgerald, John Thompson (eds). How the United States Ends Wars. Oxford, New York: Berghahn Books. [Details] |
Published Reports
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2022) | Digital Education for Teaching (DEFT) - Report and Recommendations.
Sarah J Thelen (2022) Digital Education for Teaching (DEFT) - Report and Recommendations. UCC, Cork, Ireland. [ Publisher's Version] [Details] |
Book Reviews
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2018) | Review of When America Liked Ike: How Moderates Won the 1952 Presidential Election and Reshaped American Politics. By Gary Donaldson.
Sarah J Thelen (2018) Review of When America Liked Ike: How Moderates Won the 1952 Presidential Election and Reshaped American Politics. By Gary Donaldson. Book Reviews [DOI] [Full Text] [Details] |
|
| (2017) | Review of The Great American Speech: Words and Monuments by Stephen Fender.
Sarah J Thelen (2017) Review of The Great American Speech: Words and Monuments by Stephen Fender. Book Reviews [DOI] [Details] |
|
| (2014) | Review of Shawn Francis Peters, The Catonsville Nine: A Story of Faith and Resistances in the Vietnam Era.
Sarah J Thelen (2014) Review of Shawn Francis Peters, The Catonsville Nine: A Story of Faith and Resistances in the Vietnam Era. Journal of American Studies: Book Reviews [DOI] [Details] |
Exemplar Study
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2025) | Using GenAI in Teaching, Learning and Assessment in Irish Universities.
Quintanar, Ana Elena Schalk and Dr Pauline Rooney (Editors); Martina Crehan, Mary Fitzpatrick, Leone Gately, Loretta Goff, Iain Mac Labhrainn, Caitriona Ní Shé, Lisa O’Regan, Sarah Thelen, Leigh Wolf (co-editors) (2025) Using GenAI in Teaching, Learning and Assessment in Irish Universities. Exemplar Study [ Publisher's Version] [Details] |
Guest Lectures
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2012) | With Friends Like This: H. Ross Perot and the Nixon White House.
Sarah J Thelen (2012) With Friends Like This: H. Ross Perot and the Nixon White House. Guest Lectures [Details] |
|
| (2009) | Telling it to Hanoi: The Nixon Administration and Domestic Support for the Vietnam War, 1969-1974.
Sarah J Thelen (2009) Telling it to Hanoi: The Nixon Administration and Domestic Support for the Vietnam War, 1969-1974. Guest Lectures [Details] |
Invited Lectures
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2024) | How do you Solve a Problem Like genAI?.
Sarah Thelen (2024) How do you Solve a Problem Like genAI?. Invited Lectures [Details] |
|
| (2024) | Future Planning/Proofing in the Age of GenAI: Collaborative Responses to Challenges and Opportunities for Teaching and Assessment.
Loretta Goff, Sarah Thelen (2024) Future Planning/Proofing in the Age of GenAI: Collaborative Responses to Challenges and Opportunities for Teaching and Assessment. Invited Lectures [Details] |
|
| (2024) | Digital Futures at University College Cork.
Sarah Thelen (2024) Digital Futures at University College Cork. Invited Lectures [Details] |
|
| (2024) | From Academia to Pandemia?: Reflections on the “Pivot” to Remote Teaching and Learning and Its Implications for Irish Higher Education.
Sarah Thelen (2024) From Academia to Pandemia?: Reflections on the “Pivot” to Remote Teaching and Learning and Its Implications for Irish Higher Education. Invited Lectures [Details] |
|
| (2024) | Academic Integrity and the Evolving GenAI Landscape.
Sarah Thelen, Loretta Goff (2024) Academic Integrity and the Evolving GenAI Landscape. Invited Lectures [Details] |
|
| (2024) | Future-Proofing Assessment Hackathon.
Loretta Goff, Sarah Thelen (2024) Future-Proofing Assessment Hackathon. Invited Lectures [Details] |
|
| (2020) | Thinking about Remote Teaching and Learning.
Sarah J Thelen (2020) Thinking about Remote Teaching and Learning. Munster Technical University: Invited Lectures [Details] |
Newspaper Articles
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2024) | All You Need to Know about the US Electoral College.
Sarah Thelen (2024) All You Need to Know about the US Electoral College. Newspaper Articles [ Publisher's Version] [Details] |
|
| (2024) | Gerrymandering: 'one of the undemocratic aspects of US politics.
Sarah Thelen (2024) Gerrymandering: 'one of the undemocratic aspects of US politics. Newspaper Articles [ Publisher's Version] [Details] |
|
| (2024) | Could Donald Trump run for President from a Jail Cell? He Wouldn’t be the First.
Sarah Thelen (2024) Could Donald Trump run for President from a Jail Cell? He Wouldn’t be the First. Newspaper Articles [ Publisher's Version] [Details] |
|
| (2024) | A Short History of US Presidents Not Running for Re-election.
Sarah Thelen (2024) A Short History of US Presidents Not Running for Re-election. Newspaper Articles [ Publisher's Version] [Details] |
|
| (2013) | Nixon's Tale of the Tape.
Sarah J Thelen (2013) Nixon's Tale of the Tape. Newspaper Articles [ Publisher's Version] [Details] |
Radio Presentation
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2025) | All the US Presidents – The Best and the Worst of them.
Sarah Thelen (panelist) (2025) All the US Presidents – The Best and the Worst of them. Radio Presentation [Details] |
|
| (2024) | Fifty Years On: Nixon’s Resignation.
Sarah J Thelen (panelist) (2024) Fifty Years On: Nixon’s Resignation. Radio Presentation [ Publisher's Version] [Details] |
Honours and Awards
| Year | Title | Awarding Body | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | SATLE Impact Award | Higher Education Authority |
Education
| Year | Institution | Qualification | Subject | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Bowling Green State University | BA | History/English | |
| 2006 | American University | MA | 20th Century US History | |
| 2012 | American University | PhD | 20th Century US History | |
| 2015 | University College Cork | Postgrad Diploma in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education | Teaching and Learning in Higher Education | |
| 2014 | University College Cork | Postgrad Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education | Teaching and Learning in Higher Education |
Conference Contributions
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2024) | British Association of American Studies annual meeting,
Sarah Thelen (2024) American Studies, Assessment, and AI. [Invited Lectures (Workshops)], British Association of American Studies annual meeting, online . [Details] |
|
| (2023) | International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Annual Meeting,
Sarah Thelen (2023) A Students-as-Partners Approach to Analysing Student Engagement Data for Teaching and Learning. [Poster Presentation], International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Annual Meeting, Utrecht . [Details] |
|
| (2023) | International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Annual Meeting,
Sarah Thelen (2023) Field Notes: Planning for, and Reflecting On, Teaching Interventions. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Annual Meeting, Utrecht . [Details] |
|
| (2023) | British Association of American Studies annual meeting,
Sarah Thelen, Megan Hunt, Chris Parkes, Aaron Hiltner, Rebecca Stone (2023) What we Talk about When We Talk about Surveys: Designing and Teaching Large Survey Modules. [Invited Seminars/Guest Lectures], British Association of American Studies annual meeting, Keele University . [Details] |
|
| (2023) | British Association of American Studies annual meeting,
Sarah J Thelen, Lydia Plath (organiser), Joe Street, Hilary Emmet (2023) Setting Boundaries: Managing Workloads and Expectations in American Studies HE. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], British Association of American Studies annual meeting, Keele University . [Details] |
|
| (2022) | British Association for American Studies Annual Meeting,
Sarah J Thelen, Lydia Plath (organiser), Jon Ward (2022) How to Talk Articulately about your Teaching Practice: A Workshop. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], British Association for American Studies Annual Meeting, University of Hull . [Details] |
|
| (2022) | Irish Learning Technology Association Annual Meeting,
Sarah J Thelen (2022) Practicing What We Preach: Digital Education, Staff Development, and Student Engagement. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Irish Learning Technology Association Annual Meeting, Cork, Ireland . [Details] |
|
| (2022) | International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning,
Sarah J Thelen (2022) Polls and Padlets and gDocs, oh my! Using Technology to Foster Student Engagement. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Kelowna, BC . [Details] |
|
| (2021) | EdTech Winter Online Conference 2021 - Paradigm Shift: Reflection, Resilience and Renewal in Digital Education; Irish Learning Technology Association,
Sarah J Thelen and Clíodhna O'Callaghan (2021) Teach Digi. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], EdTech Winter Online Conference 2021 - Paradigm Shift: Reflection, Resilience and Renewal in Digital Education; Irish Learning Technology Association, online . [Details] |
|
| (2021) | Historians of the Twentieth Century US Annual Meeting,
Sarah J Thelen (2021) ‘Miscellaneous Cats and Dogs’: Identity Politics and Richard Nixon’s 1972 Campaign. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Historians of the Twentieth Century US Annual Meeting, online . [Details] |
|
| (2018) | Midterms and Mandates: Electoral Reassessments of Presidents and Parties,
Sarah J Thelen (2018) 'The Power of Their Votes': Nixon, the Silent Majority, and the 1970 Midterm Elections. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Midterms and Mandates: Electoral Reassessments of Presidents and Parties, Edinburgh, UK . [Details] |
|
| (2017) | Historians of the Twentieth Century United States Annual Meeting,
Sarah J Thelen (2017) Truth Squads: Lyndon B. Johnson and the Debates Over Vietnam. [Oral Presentation], Historians of the Twentieth Century United States Annual Meeting, University College Dublin . [Details] |
|
| (2017) | Irish Association of American Studies Annual Meeting,
Sarah J Thelen (2017) Dog Whistles and Fog Horns: The Political Rhetoric of Richard M. Nixon and Donald J. Trump. [Oral Presentation], Irish Association of American Studies Annual Meeting, Ulster University (Belfast) . [Details] |
|
| (2017) | British International Studies Association, US Foreign Policy Working Group 12th Annual Conference,
Sarah J Thelen (2017) Silent Majorities, Bad Hombres, and Patriotism: The Political Rhetoric of Richard M. Nixon and Donald J. Trump. [Oral Presentation], British International Studies Association, US Foreign Policy Working Group 12th Annual Conference, University of Edinburgh . [Details] |
|
| (2016) | British Association of American Studies / Irish Association of American Studies Annual Meeting,
Sarah J Thelen (2016) Pragmatic Patriots: Civil Prisoners and Voluntary Service in Vietnam. [Oral Presentation], British Association of American Studies / Irish Association of American Studies Annual Meeting, Queens College Belfast . [Details] |
|
| (2015) | Legacies of the American 1960s Symposium,
Sarah J Thelen, Daniel Geary, Sandra Scanlon, Diane Kirby (2015) Legacies of 1960s Conservatism Roundtable. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Legacies of the American 1960s Symposium, Trinity College Dublin . [Details] |
|
| (2013) | Society of Historians of American Foreign Relations Annual Meeting,
Sarah J Thelen (2013) The Right to Speak: Citizenship, Dissent, and Nixon’s Vietnam War. [Oral Presentation], Society of Historians of American Foreign Relations Annual Meeting, Arlington, Virginia . [Details] |
|
| (2013) | Historians of the Twentieth Century United States Annual Meeting,
Sarah J Thelen (2013) Opposing the Opposition: The Nixon Administration and the 1969 Moratorium and Mobilization Protests. [Oral Presentation], Historians of the Twentieth Century United States Annual Meeting, Newcastle, England . [Details] |
|
| (2011) | History, Memory, and American Foreign Policy,
Sarah J Thelen (2011) Domestic Support for the Vietnam War: Invoking the Memory of William Allen White and George Creel. [Oral Presentation], History, Memory, and American Foreign Policy, Clinton Institute for American Studies (University College Dublin) . [Details] |
|
| (2011) | Historians of the Twentieth Century United States Annual Meeting,
Sarah J Thelen (2011) Rallying ‘Round the Flag: Nixon, the ‘Hard Hats,’ and Domestic Support for the Vietnam War. [Oral Presentation], Historians of the Twentieth Century United States Annual Meeting, Oxford, England . [Details] |
|
| (2010) | American Historical Association Annual Conference,
Sarah J Thelen (2010) Give War a Chance: The Nixon Administration and Domestic Support for the Vietnam War, 1968-1973. [Oral Presentation], American Historical Association Annual Conference, San Diego, California . [Details] |
|
| (2009) | War and American Identity,
Sarah J Thelen (2009) Silent No Longer: Identity, the Silent Majority and Nixon's Vietnam War. [Oral Presentation], War and American Identity, Clinton Institute for American Studies (University College Dublin) . [Details] |
|
| (2008) | Annual International Graduate Student Conference on the Cold War,
Sarah J Thelen (2008) “Will you Help our Nation Win the Peace?”: Americans for Winning the Peace and the Nixon Administration, 1969-1971. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Annual International Graduate Student Conference on the Cold War, University of California, Santa Barbara . [Details] |
|
| (2005) | Society of Historians of American Foreign Relations Annual Meeting,
Sarah J Thelen (2005) Walking in the Shadows of Munich and Vietnam”: An Examination of the Public and Political Rhetoric of the Debate over the Use of Force in the Persian Gulf’ (panel organizer). [Oral Presentation], Society of Historians of American Foreign Relations Annual Meeting, University of Maryland, College Park . [Details] |
Committees
| Committee | Function | From / To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academic Integrity Working Group | member | 2023 / | |
| Teaching American Studies Network (BAAS) | Steering Group member | 2022 / | |
| British Association of American Studies Awards Subcommittee | Member | 2022 / | |
| British Association of American Studies Executive Committee | Ordinary Member | 2022 / | |
| Emerging and Existing Educational Technologies (3ELT) | unit representative | 2021 / | |
| UCC2022 Pillar One Action 1.3.2 Working Group | Member | 2021 / | |
| University of Sanctuary Working Group | Member | 2019 / | |
| Teach Digi Advisory Group | Member | 2019 / |
Employment
| Employer | Position | From / To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| University College Cork | Learning Technologist | 07-MAY-12 / 20-DEC-13 | |
| University College Cork | Lecturer in Teaching and Learning Enhancement (Digital Education) | 01-OCT-21 / | |
| University College Cork | Instructional Designer | 03-JAN-14 / 30-SEP-21 | |
| University College Cork | Visiting Lecturer | 02-SEP-13 / | |
| Trinity College Dublin | Research Associate | 01-SEP-11 / 29-AUG-14 | |
| University College Dublin | Visiting Lecturer | 03-SEP-12 / 31-DEC-12 | |
| American University | Instructor | 01-JUN-06 / 31-AUG-10 |
Professional Associations
| Association | Function | From / To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish Association of American Studies | history | / | |
| Teaching American Studies Networkd | Steering Group member | / | |
| Historians of the Twentieth Century US | member | / | |
| Irish Learning Technology Association | Member | / | |
| British Association of American Studies | Member of Executive Committee | / |
Journal Activities
| Journal | Role | To / From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| International Journal Of Media & Cultural Politics | Peer Reviewer | 28-OCT-24 - |
Other Activities
| Description | |
|---|---|
Invited Co-Chair for the Digital Education Track in the EAIR (European Higher Education Society) Forum |
|
In addition to my core research and teaching, I also provide expert support/advice on international projects:
|
Teaching Interests
Subject Areas
- Digital Education
- Student Engagement
- US politics and foreign policy
Modules Co-Ordinated
- TL6200: Introduction to Digital Education (2022-present)
- TL6009: Digital Education for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (2023-present)
- ED6610: Professional Studies: Teaching in the Adult Learning Environment (2024-present)
- HI1006: US History since 1865 (2012-present)
- HI3138: The United States and the Vietnam Wars, 1945-1975 (2024-present)
Postgraduate Supervision
- Marie Ryan, MA Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (2024-present)
-
Breda Connell, PhD (Higher Education Professionals), 'Using Lego® Serious Play® in the
Library to Strengthen Emerging Academic Writing Identities in PhD Students at a
Newly Established Technological University' (2024-present)
- Hao Zhang, PhD Asian Studies, 'Personalized Learning Paths Supported by Generative AI for Second Language Acquisition of Chinese' (2024-present)
- Paul Holloway, MA Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (second reader) (2023-2024)
Internal Collaborators
| Name | Institute | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loretta Goff | Skills Centre, UCC | IRELAND |