Casual Academic
College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
I am a PhD candidate in the Archaeology Department, researching the archaeology of Irish-Australia. My research areas include: social identity and the nature of Irishness; the Irish diaspora with a particular focus on the Irish Australian experience; how nineteenth century Irish migrant communities conceptualised themselves outside of Ireland. I blog about my research at www.dontforgetyourshovel.com.
Academic Internship Program 2016, Flinders University
Master of Archaeology (with high distinction) 2014, Flinders University
Graduate Diploma in Archaeology (with high distinction) 2012, Flinders University
Graduate Diploma in Library Studies (with distinction) 1988, South Australian Institute of Technology
Bachelor of Social Science (Hons) 1983, University College Dublin
Majors: Sociology, Social Administration. Minor: Politics
Scholarships and grants
2018 Funding support for fieldwork costs, from the Project Funding Awards for RHD Students, Flinders University, College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, $2,500.
2017 Funding support for participation in Global Irish Diaspora Congress, Ireland from Flinders University, College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, $2,000.
2016 Trish Ryan Bursary from the Australian Federation of University Women (SA) Inc. Trust, $2,000.
2015-2018 Australian Postgraduate Award—PhD scholarship at Flinders University, $26,682 per annum for three years.
2015-2018 Top-Up Scholarship from Flinders University, $17,000.
Awards and prizes
2016 Flinders University Best Research Higher Degree Student Publication Award
2016 Finalist in the Littlewoods Ireland Blog Awards 2016, in the Diaspora category
2015 R. Ian Jack Award for Best Masters Thesis—awarded by Australasian Society for Historical Archaeology (ASHA)
2015 Ruth and Vincent Megaw Award for Outstanding Collaboration in Archaeological Research and Practice, Flinders University (awarded jointly with Cherrie De Leiuen)
2015 Chancellors Letter of Commendation, Flinders University
2014 Comber Consulting Prize in Archaeology, Flinders University
2014 Best Student Poster Prize at the national conference of Australian Archaeological Association (AAA) and Australasian Society for Historical Archaeology (ASHA)
2014 Best Masters Presentation Award at National Archaeology Students Conference
Co-convenor of ISAANZ 24, the 24th conference of the Irish Studies Association of Australia and New Zealand held in Adelaide in December 2019, with the theme of Foregrounding Irish Women: The Antipodes and Beyond, 2018–2019.
Chair (2018), Deputy Chair (2017-2018) and Board Director at Connecting Up, a not-for-profit organisation providing technology and training services to social enterprises across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, 2012–2018.
Co-convenor of the Flinders Archaeology Postgrad Research Colloquium, a research-sharing and support forum for post-graduate students in the Archaeology Department, 2016–2017.
Co-convenor of the 22nd Australasian Irish Studies Conference held in Adelaide in December 2016, under the auspices of the Irish Studies Association of Australia and New Zealand, with the theme of Change, Commemoration, Community, 2015–2016.