Research and Innovation

As well as conducting research – research dissemination is also imperative. The School of Home Economics and the National Centre of Excellence are delighted to have won the bid to host the 25th IFHE World Congress in 2024. This is the largest, most prestigious event for Home Economics in the world and the international conference attracts up to 1500 international delegates. Planning for the event will commence imminently and the event will be support by Fáilte Ireland.

Current PhD Research

Frances Clarke 
Frances is a practicing teacher of Home Economics with over 30 years’ experience teaching at second level. Her current PhD research focuses on assessment for learning and integrating assessment with instruction in the Home Economics classroom. 

Sonya Coffey  
Sonya’s research aims to examine the role of Home Economists in the community both nationally and internationally. She is specifically looking at the role of Home Management Advisors in Ireland and internationally the provision of extension services.

Paula Doherty 
Paula’s PhD research seeks to examine the perception of stakeholders concerning Home Economics as a subject discipline on the secondary school curriculum.  As a result, a robust understanding of the culture of Home Economics in secondary education, as well as within the broader field of Home Economics, will be created. 

Connor Dupuits 
Connor is studying for a PhD in Home Economics. More specifically, in the area of food policy pertaining to Ireland’s healthy eating guidelines, through the lens of ecological sustainability. This research aims to investigate the efficacy of sustainable dietary guidelines to ascertain food literacy advice for the Irish population that positively impacts the environment and overall health.

Rachel Hastings 
Rachel Hastings’s PhD research focuses on developing an understanding of the intersection of place, knowledge, and practice for education for sustainable and responsible living in Junior Cycle Home Economics. The work aims to contribute support to Home Economics teachers integrating education for sustainable and responsible living into their classroom teaching and learning practices. 

Sarah Hennessy  
Sarah’s PhD research area focuses on food literacy, specifically pertaining to the development of food literacy skills of farmers in Ireland.  This research aims to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of Irish farmers in relation to the use of Home Economics for the enhancement of food literacy skills. 

Laura McDermott 
Laura’s research aims to investigate the perceptions, attitudes and values of primary school stakeholders in relation to the inclusion of a Home Economics related module (focusing on food education) within the Irish primary school curriculum. 

Michelle O’Leary  
Michelle’s PhD research focuses on examining the nutrition knowledge, dietary intake, and food-related behaviours of university students. This project is interested in investigating the relationship between nutrition knowledge and dietary intake as well as food and cooking skills.  

Grace Winters  
Grace’s PhD research focuses on pedagogical frameworks that underpin the practicum element of the Home Economics discipline. Grace has a keen interest in developing innovative pedagogical frameworks to enhance the teaching and learning of practical Home Economics.