UCD Teaching and Learning Awards
These prestigious awards celebrate the achievements of UCD colleagues who make exceptional contributions in the pursuit of teaching excellence and the enhancement of student learning. Nominations for awards are submitted online by UCD students and staff.
There are two award schemes, both tiered with awards at college and university level:
- Teaching Excellence Awards recognise individual academic staff for sustained commitment to teaching excellence and student learning.
- Awards for Exceptional Contribution to Learning recognise individual UCD employees, who are engaged directly in teaching and or facilitating student learning.
» Find out more about the UCD Teaching and Learning Awards
Teaching and Learning Awards 2023-24
Between November 2023 and the end of August 2024, over three thousand nominations were received from students, faculty and staff. The content and volume of their nominations are a testament to the huge achievement of UCD colleagues in creating such a positive impact on so many lives.
Nominees were invited to apply initially at the college level. Following a competitive process there were 74 awardees at college level. Congratulations to all college awardees on their remarkable achievements.
Each of the college adjudication panels then made recommendations from their pool of college awardees to put forward for consideration for a university-level award. Following a competitive process, awardees were selected to receive prestigious University Teaching and Learning awards.
Teaching and Learning Awardees 2023-24
Dr Cian Davis - University Award for Exceptional Contribution to Learning
Dr Cian Davis is a tutor at the UCD School of Medicine, delivering surgical education to medical students in their clinical years. A trainee surgeon, Cian has several years of teaching experience across many settings. His primary educational interests are fostering a passion for surgery in students of all stages and the teaching of practical skills, both exemplified by his leading roles in academic mentorship and in the development and delivery of hands-on sessions for students with medical devices and surgical techniques.
Cian adopts a student-centred and inclusive approach to teaching, where students are facilitated to learn through active and collaborative methods. He uses Problem-based Learning and authentic real-life scenarios to encourage peer-to-peer learning, critical reflection and structured feedback opportunities. In nominating Cian for an award, students highlighted the friendly learning environment that he creates and his approachability.
Cian is committed to supporting students' career development and has taken a lead role in coordinating and encouraging his students to engage in extra-curricular activities including the intercollegiate surgical case competition between all Irish Medical Schools.
Dr Aoife MacCormac - University Award for Exceptional Contribution to Learning
Dr Aoife MacCormac is an education technologist at the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems. She has a background in science and health and over 20 years of experience in teaching, learning and research with students of all ages. She is an enthusiastic, committed educator with an innate ability to understand and motivate students, encouraging an innovative and student-centred approach to learning. She has extensive knowledge of Virtual Learning Environments and a wide range of learning tools, and is skilled at working with staff to use these learning tools to ensure that every student's learning styles and abilities are addressed.
Aoife has played a pivotal role in the development of simulation-based learning in her school. Working collaboratively with colleagues and clinical partners, she has created virtual clinical scenarios as online resources for students. These scenarios provide valuable experiential learning opportunities for nursing students to practice client care in a safe virtual environment. Aoife has presented at conferences on this work which has been proven effective in enhancing students' clinical decision-making skills.
Mr Alan Morgan - University Award for Exceptional Contribution to Learning
Alan Morgan is an Entrepreneurial Specialist at the UCD Innovation Academy where he curates and facilitates a Masters level programme that offers educators in UCD and globally the opportunity to reimagine their teaching practice. As a passionate educator, he feels a responsibility to lead from the front to assist colleagues in developing their own creative, innovative and reflective entrepreneurial mindsets, to help them re-engage with their vocation, and experience new approaches to teaching and learning. He is committed to creating a learning environment that is collaborative, experiential, authentic and inspiring for participants.
Alan plays a pivotal role in emphasising reflective teaching and leadership methods, which he considers essential for educators aiming to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing educational landscape. Programme participants commended Alan for his ‘meaningful and impactful teaching’ and were deeply appreciative of the mentorship and peer networking opportunities that were designed into the programme.
Alan was awarded the 2024 European Entrepreneurial Leader of the Year in Higher Education at the Triple E Awards in Lisbon.
Dr Matthew O'Brien - University Award for Exceptional Contribution to Learning
Dr Matthew O’Brien has established himself as an experienced lecturer on academic writing and has extensive experience as a tutor at the UCD Writing Centre where he works with postgraduate, undergraduate, and access students. Matthew’s ethos is to make academic writing more approachable and to improve students’ relationship with writing while inspiring their confidence in the process. This is achieved through the successful delivery of modules, workshops, and seminars on a range of writing tasks. Matthew’s teaching contributions include the College of Science where he teaches on an academic writing module for PhD students, the College of Arts and Humanities where he teaches on a first-year undergraduate module on writing academic essays and he also lectures on the subject of oral history in the School of Irish, Celtic Studies and Folklore.
Matthew leads the much-lauded WOW (Write on Wednesday) initiative, offering graduate research students a supportive writing space grounded in community. Students attest to the positive impact of WOW in supporting them to take control of their writing tasks and succeed.
Ms Emer O'Daly - University Award for Exceptional Contribution to Learning
Emer O’Daly is an architect and currently holds a Design Fellow position at the UCD School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy. She tutors in Design Studio in First Year Architecture and co-runs a module called Drawing & Making which focuses on visual representation and develops an understanding of sustainable materials and methods of construction. Over the past three years, she has developed the Drawing & Making curriculum along with her colleagues, to include workshops on representation and materials with a focus on climate change. The module takes an evidence-based approach to learning that engages students in a hands-on way. Students’ learning is carefully scaffolded and structured through engagement with theory, skills observation and practice, and peer learning. The combination of laboratory work, fieldwork, group work and critique discussions has proven very effective both in terms of student engagement with the subject matter and the acquisition of skills.
In nominating Emer for an award a colleague commended her significant contribution to the pedagogy in Architecture, as it transforms the ‘what and how’ of architectural teaching in response to climate changes.
Professor Oonagh Breen - University Award for Teaching Excellence
Oonagh Breen has over thirty years of teaching experience at the UCD Sutherland School of Law. An internationally recognized expert in charity law, she teaches a master’s clinical law module in NGO Law which caters to law and non-law graduates across several disciplines. Her undergraduate-level teaching in Equity and the Law of Trusts sees her engage with large numbers, with students taking these subjects for professional advancement purposes. Perceived as technical and difficult areas, she has embraced the challenge of making her students as passionate about and as comfortable in these subjects as she is.
The NGO Law module, designed and taught by Oonagh, is the only master's module of its kind in Ireland. Leveraging her network of policymakers and practitioners in the field of NGO/Charity Law, students work closely with an adopted charity in a community-based learning initiative. In nominating Oonagh for an award students described her as a passionate and dedicated lecturer. They spoke of the effectiveness of her interactive teaching methods, the quality of learning materials and how she generously gives of her time.
Dr Sarah Comyn - University Award for Teaching Excellence
Dr Sarah Comyn is an Assistant Professor in English Literature at the UCD School of English, Film and Drama, with specialisations in nineteenth-century studies, the economic humanities and the environmental humanities. She has an established reputation for innovative and imaginative leadership in teaching and learning as evidenced by her cross-institutional pedagogical innovations; leadership in creative-critical praxis; outside-the-classroom activities; and her formative work in building support and community for postgraduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
She is committed to research-led teaching and teaching-led research and has made substantial contributions to curriculum development across all stages. Given her expertise in nineteenth-century settler colonial studies, she has been actively diversifying the curriculum and making the classroom experience more inclusive. A key feature of her pedagogical approach is to critically engage students in the practice of antiracist pedagogy and learning in challenging literary canons. In their feedback students noted how she created a safe space for learning and studying difficult material, highlighting her skilled facilitation of class discussions, as well as her kindness and encouragement.
Professor Eileen Gibney - University Award for Teaching Excellence
Professor Eileen Gibney is Director of UCD Institute of Food and Health. She has held many leadership positions in teaching within the School of Agriculture and Food Science including Director BSc Human Nutrition, Associate Dean of Teaching and Learning and Director of Executive Education. Eileen’s teaching, supervision and mentoring lie in the area of food and nutrition. She is a passionate educator, who strives to engage and empower students in their learning journey, developing their own interest and passion for the subject. In nominating Eileen for an award students spoke of her as an inspiring and generous educator and research supervisor. They commended her ability to build a supportive team and her dedication to mentoring and encouraging individual students to achieve their academic goals.
Eileen has an impressive track record in educational leadership and development over many years. More recently she has developed the School’s Executive Education strategy, resulting in the development of several successful bespoke Executive Education programmes and micro-credentials to meet the demands of the diverse agri-food sector.
Associate Professor Mary Higgins - University Award for Teaching Excellence
Associate Professor Mary Higgins works as an academic in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the UCD School of Medicine and as a busy obstetrician at the National Maternity Hospital. Continued involvement in evidence-based clinical care, the compassion of women’s health and medical education helps to support her significant involvement in both education and research. Returning to education herself with completion of a Masters in Clinical Education and in Patient Safety and Human Factors and a Diploma in Healthcare Simulation brought with it the lived experience of returning to student life – and a commitment to support students in their educational journeys.
Mary's teaching is practice-centred and research-led, and she invests substantial efforts to continually improve and update her modules to ensure that they are at the cutting edge of her discipline. In nominating Mary for an award students spoke of her compassion, generosity and dedication to teaching and clinical practice. They lauded her highly effective teaching methods and her ability to create memorable and impactful learning opportunities.
Professor Colm McLaughlin - University Award for Teaching Excellence
Professor Colm McLaughlin is in the Employment Relations and Human Resource Management Subject Area of the UCD College of Business. He has developed innovative modules that address societal challenges including climate change, the SDGs, EDI, working conditions and business ethics. He recently led a SATLE-funded Climate Change and Business Sustainability project, where he developed a bespoke experiential module based on the UN Climate Change COP process. In nominating Colm, students were fulsome in their praise for this new module and in particular the two-day role-play COP negotiations, citing it as one of the highlights of their UCD experience. Colm employs a range of innovative teaching methods including role-play, debates, reflective learning journals, case studies, collaborative learning opportunities and online interactive learning. He has published case studies, articles and chapters on teaching ethical issues in business, and he is a regular reviewer for management education journals.
Colm has undertaken many leadership roles in teaching and learning over a sustained period. He is currently the College VP for EDI and College Coordinator for the UN Principles for Responsible Management Education.
Mrs Kathleen O'Reilly - University Award for Teaching Excellence
Kathleen O’Reilly is an educator, based at the UCD School of Business, with over 25 years of academic and industry experience. She is the Academic Director of UCD’s MSc in Management Consultancy, and an Academic Fellow of CMC Global, the global professional body for the management consulting industry. In those roles, she has been recognised for her outstanding contribution to building the linkages between academia and the profession of management consulting. Kathleen has substantial expertise in work-integrated learning which she has brought to bear on programmes and modules at both undergraduate and graduate levels. She has introduced internship programmes, Company Clinics and Consulting Projects, all of which allow students to integrate theory with meaningful practice of work. In nominating Kathleen for an award students lauded her exceptional ability to inspire and motivate them to reach their full potential, both within and beyond the classroom. They deeply appreciated the inclusive learning environment that she creates where every student feels valued and heard.
Kathleen is currently completing her Doctorate in Higher Education, researching the role of work-integrated learning in modern business education.
Dr Adamaria Perrotta - University Award for Teaching Excellence
Dr Adamaria Perrotta is an Assistant Professor in Financial Maths and Computational Finance at the UCD School of Mathematics and Statistics. She has designed and led the establishment of three new programmes; the BSc, MSc and Professional Certificate in Financial Mathematics and she is the Programme director for the very successful BSc programme. She is conducting cutting-edge discipline-based research in Computational Finance, and she has established this as a new area of teaching.
Adamaria is committed to developing students’ deep and lifelong knowledge of mathematics as well as developing their interpersonal and transversal skills that will enable them to flourish in an increasingly complex world. She is committed to co-construction of knowledge, collaborative learning, the integration of technology and computational practices, and offering students experiential learning opportunities. Adamaria has had a significant impact on the quality of the student educational experience, supporting students with career planning, connecting students with alumni and leveraging her network of industry partners to secure internship opportunities. In 2021 Adamaria was appointed UCD’s representative on the National Community-Engaged Learning Committee.
Dr Nicolas Pillai - University Award for Teaching Excellence
Dr Nicolas Pillai is an Assistant Professor in Creative and Critical Practice and UCD’s Academic Lead for the Creative Futures Academy, a unique collaboration between UCD, NCAD and IADT providing transformative humanities teaching in collaboration with industry. Nicolas’ leadership has overseen the new BA in Creative and Cultural Industries, a new MA in Writing for Stage and Screen, numerous programme enhancements and the capital investment into the construction of Trapdoor Theatre and its connected media lab. His work provides opportunities for students to imagine creative careers through innovative teaching, industry collaboration and public engagement.
Nicholas’ teaching and curriculum design work is focused on providing opportunities for practice-based and experiential learning. He leverages his network of industry partners to contribute to classroom learning and to create opportunities for students to connect and engage with creatives. In nominating Nicolas for an award students highlighted his “amazing” teaching skills and great empathy for students. Nicolas’ contribution extends to organising extra-curricular and community-building events, opening up the Trapdoor theatre space to those outside of the College of Arts and Humanities.
Associate Professor Sue Rackard - University Award for Teaching Excellence
Associate Professor Sue Rackard is a veterinary medical educator with a track record in leading and delivering innovative educational projects with impact at school, college, institutional and sectoral levels. Her work primarily focuses on curriculum review and enhancement, development and assessment of competence, and quality assurance processes in veterinary medical education which ensure retention of vital national and international accreditations of UCD’s veterinary medicine programme.
Sue adopts an evidence-based approach to her work in teaching and learning enhancement, engaging with medical education research and education theory at the design stage and gathering data to evaluate and understand its impact. She has published and presented at international conferences and has led the advancement of a positive educational research culture in her discipline through the establishment of the UCD Centre of Veterinary Education. In 2021 she was awarded Principal Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA), which is the highest level of professional recognition in Higher Education, for a sustained record of effective strategic leadership in academic practice and academic development.
Associate Professor Paul Ryan - University Award for Teaching Excellence
Associate Professor Paul Ryan is Vice-Principal for Teaching & Learning at the UCD College of Business, lecturing in undergraduate, graduate, and executive development programmes in finance. He constantly innovates in module design, teaching methods, and in the range of formative and summative assessment strategies to enhance student learning and the quality of the educational experience. Key features of Paul's teaching approach include active student engagement, inclusive pedagogies, co-design with students, and encouraging students to take ownership of their learning. In nominating Paul for an award students spoke about the effectiveness of his teaching methods, his skilled facilitation of active and engaged classroom learning, and the high-quality learning materials and assessment centred on real-world practical applications.
Paul provides leadership in, inter alia, new programme design, programmatic reviews, curriculum development, organising teaching symposia, technology-enhanced learning, universal design for learning (UDL), academic advising, and co-curricular activities as VP for Teaching and Learning, Director of the Quinn School of Business, Deputy Director of Smurfit Executive Development, and through undertaking a significant number of programme directorships.