معرفی
Aideen Quilty is Associate Professor of Gender Studies and Social Justice at University College Dublin (UCD), where she also serves as Head of School for the School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice and as Associate Dean of Social Sciences. With academic responsibility for all social science undergraduate degrees and programs at UCD, she plays a significant leadership role in one of the university's largest academic units.
Her educational background includes a BEd, M Equality Studies, and PhD from Maynooth University, along with a Diploma in Public Relations from the Public Relations Institute of Ireland. Her academic journey reflects a deep commitment to social justice, equality, and community engagement.
Professor Quilty's research is profoundly interdisciplinary, weaving together gender studies, queer theory, human geography, and adult education. Her work centers on two major strands: LGBTQI+ experiences in higher education and society, and widening participation in higher education through spatial theory and critical pedagogies. She approaches her scholarship as a form of critical civic practice, seeking to challenge normative structures and promote social change through education. Her research consistently addresses issues of intersectionality, particularly how gender, sexuality, and spatial positioning affect educational access and outcomes.
Her publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on LGBTQI+ issues, particularly youth homelessness and educational inclusion. The most recent articles show an increasing emphasis on spatial justice and the intersections of gender, sexuality, and place. Her work consistently applies queer and feminist theoretical frameworks to practical educational and social contexts, with a strong focus on Irish society while maintaining a European perspective through transnational collaborations.
Professor Quilty has received numerous prestigious awards recognizing her excellence in teaching and commitment to student learning:
- University teaching excellence award (2022)
- Research Fellowship in teaching and learning from UCD (2019-2021)
- University Award for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning (2017)
- College Teaching and Learning excellence award (2017)
- UCD Values in Action (VIA) award for her work on the Active Bystander Programme
As an advisor, Professor Quilty supervises PhD students working in LGBQI+ and transgender scholarship and EDI in higher education. Her grant activity includes significant projects such as the first nationally funded qualitative research investigation into LGBTQI+ Youth Homelessness in Ireland (2018-2020) and a transnational ERASMUS+ research project developing an LGBTQI+ Inclusion Index for Higher Education Institutions in Europe (2020-2023), which she leads as Principal Investigator. She was also Co-PI on the EU-funded DAPHNE programme (2013-15) exploring LGBTQ youth empowerment.
Professor Quilty co-directs the innovative research centre for Gender, Feminisms and Sexualities (CGFS) and works closely with community outreach partners, particularly the Women's Collective Ireland (WCI), as a trusted 'critical friend.' Her work bridges academic research with practical community engagement, creating meaningful connections between university resources and social justice initiatives. She is currently conducting a cross-university impact evaluation research project on the Bystander Programme (2021-22) and serves on the Royal Irish Academy's interdisciplinary committee of social sciences.
