Valerie McCarthy

Dr. Valerie McCarthy is an Assistant Professor in Ecology and Biodiversity at the School of History and Geography, Dublin City University (DCU), and currently serves as the Chair of the BA in Climate and Environmental Sustainability program. Previously, she held roles as Director of the Centre for Freshwater and Environmental Studies (CFES) at Dundalk Institute of Technology and Program Director for the BSc (Hons) in Environmental Bioscience. She earned her PhD in Freshwater Ecology from Trinity College Dublin, focusing on zooplankton community structure under nutrient limitations.

Her research emphasizes freshwater ecosystem ecology, particularly the effects of human-induced pressures like nutrient loading and climate change. She employs advanced techniques including high-frequency monitoring, remote sensing, and experimental mesocosms to study nutrient dynamics, ecological stoichiometry, and lake responses to disturbances. Key areas of interest include catchment-lake interactions, cyanobacterial toxin distribution, and water quality forecasting for decision-making.

Dr. McCarthy’s work has contributed to global datasets on crustacean zooplankton size distributions and lake surface temperature projections. She has published extensively on topics ranging from microplastic pollution to constructed wetland wastewater treatment. Her research bridges ecological theory and applied environmental management, with implications for sustainable water resources and climate resilience.

• Education:
  • PhD in Freshwater Ecology, Trinity College Dublin
  • Focus: Zooplankton community structure and trophic interactions
• Affiliations:
  • Chair: BA in Climate & Environmental Sustainability
  • Former Director: Centre for Freshwater and Environmental Studies (CFES)
  • Program Director: BSc Environmental Bioscience (DkIT)
• Grants & Funding: Not explicitly detailed in text, but inferred from research scope to involve environmental monitoring and climate change initiatives.

Her lab and collaborative efforts focus on integrating field observations with cutting-edge technology to address pressing environmental challenges in aquatic systems.