Associate Professor
UCD School of Computer Science
Catherine is an Associate Professor at UCD School of Computer Science and the Vice Principal for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion of UCD College of Science. She leads the Life Science Data Analytics Group (LiSDA), using cutting-edge machine learning techniques to develop biomarkers and clinical decision support systems that can make a real difference to patients, their families, and caregivers.
Her expertise helps to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of applying machine learning in healthcare, such as data protection, ethics, bias, and transparency. Catherine is also a vocal advocate for women in computing and has served on the executive committees of Women in Technology and Science (WITS) and UCD Women@STEM. She is the founding chair of Women@CompSci.
It is imperative that the creators of today's technology be as diverse as those utilising it, and therefore it is crucial for all individuals, especially those currently underrepresented, to feel that their contributions and presence are valued.
With Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, Catherine runs the Role models in pSTEM: You can be what you can see initiative, which encourages girls and young women to consider career paths in physics, computer science, mathematics and engineering. The project is based on research demonstrating that role models from diverse backgrounds can encourage young women to consider such careers. The resources build on the UNESCO framework for features that encourage young women and girls in STEM.
Catherine said: "Sense of Belonging or 'Belongingness' is a personal belief that one is an accepted member of an academic community whose presence and contributions are valued. Belongingness is important because it is associated with progression, motivation, achievement, persistence, retention and student mental health and well-being.
Our research has shown that women in computing who identify as minoritised, on the basis of their gender, race/ethnicity, membership of the LGBTQIA+ community, or ability / disability, are prone to experiencing a diminished sense of belonging compared to non-minoritized men. It is imperative that the creators of today's technology be as diverse as those utilising it, and therefore it is crucial for all individuals, especially those currently underrepresented in our School of Computer Science, to feel that their contributions and presence are valued."
Read Catherine's papers on Sense of Belonging:
- Student Sense of Belonging: The Role of Gender Identity and Minoritisation in Computing and Other Sciences
- Variations in Sense of Belonging in Undergraduate Computing Students Through the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Investigating the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Computing Students' Sense of Belonging
- Sense of Belonging: The intersectionality of self-identified minority status and gender in undergraduate computer science students
- Exploring Sense of Belonging in Computer Science Students