Amy Burns

Dr. Amy Burns is a Senior Lecturer at Ulster University Business School, Department of Hospitality Tourism & Events Management, where she serves as Course Director for the BSc Consumer Management and Food Innovation programme and Director of the Food and Consumer Testing Suite (FACTS). She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy with over two decades of academic experience since joining Ulster Business School in 2001.

Her educational background includes a BSc in Nutritional Sciences from University College Cork and a PhD in biomedical sciences from Ulster University (2001). Her research focuses on product innovation, new product development, nutritional evaluation, sensory evaluation of food and drink products, and both quantitative and qualitative research methods.

Burns' recent publications show a clear trajectory toward understanding consumer food choice behaviors, particularly regarding healthy eating interventions, sensory science applications, and virtual event experiences. Her work increasingly integrates technology with traditional food science research, examining how digital platforms influence consumer decisions in food retail environments.

• An Exhibition: Our Food. Cooking and recipes of Ulster. Then and Now. (2019)
• Irish Times Education Awards (2019)

As Director of FACTS, Burns leads significant research initiatives with private companies across Northern Ireland, the UK, and Ireland, utilizing funding from Invest NI and Enterprise Ireland. Her recent projects include investigations into healthy versus less healthy food promotions among Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland food retailers, funded by the Food Standards Agency and safefood respectively. She is also an active member of the Sensory Network Ireland Group, promoting integration and sustainability for sensory science activities across Ireland.