Val Nolan

Val Nolan is a Research Fellow at Aberystwyth University's Department of English & Creative Writing. His scholarship focuses on speculative fiction in Irish and British contexts, blending cultural analysis, literary criticism, and creative practice. He is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and has received accolades including Aberystwyth's Lecturer of the Year (2022) and British Science Fiction Association Award finalist (2022).

• Co-author of Spec Fic for Newbies (2023)
• Author of Neil Jordan: Works for the Page (2022)
• Recipient of Clarion Workshop funding (2009) and Irish Arts Council bursary (2012)

Val's research examines how speculative themes challenge traditional narrative forms and realism in Irish literature, with a particular focus on filmmakers like Neil Jordan and media franchises such as Star Trek. His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals through cultural innovation and has appeared in Science Fiction Studies, Irish University Review, and Foundation: The International Review of Science Fiction. He has participated in major science fiction conventions including the British National Science Fiction Convention and Irish National Science Fiction Convention.