School of Law

I graduated from the National University of Ireland, Galway with a BA in Philosophy and Classical Civilisations in 2003. I pursued an interest in equality and justice at the Equality Studies Centre, University College Dublin. There I completed a thesis entitled, “Social problems and punitive measures: Capital punishment and the burden on African-American men” in 2004.

My PhD in philosophy (bioethics), with the Centre of Bioethical Research & Analysis (COBRA) and the Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) examined the ethical considerations arising from embryonic stem cell research, in the Irish context.

I joined the Centre for Professional Ethics (PEAK) and the School of Law as a Lecturer in September 2009.

My research interests fall into two main categories: ethics, particularly bioethics, and justice and equality.  I am interested in ethical issues around stem cell research and reproductive technologies, euthanasia and the medical and legal regulation of sex and gender (particularly regarding the treatment of intersex children). 

While my recent research activity has focused on bioethical issues, my interest in feminist and queer theories (particularly medical and legal aspects of regulating gender and sexuality) is an area I would like to expand on in the future.

I am member of the Centre for Law, Ethics and Society (CLES) in the Research Institute for Social Sciences. Within CLES, I am actively engaged with the Gender, Sexuality and Law (GSL) research group.

Throughout my doctoral studies I taught many courses for undergraduates and post-graduates in areas of applied ethics: nursing and midwifery, information technology and business, medicine, physiotherapy, biomedical engineering, and palliative care.

At Keele, I am the module leader for the undergraduate elective module, Life, Sex and Death. 

The majority of my teaching is on PEAK and Law postgraduate courses, including Ethics of Cancer and Palliative Care, Medical Ethics and Human Rights, Globalisation and Justice.