Teaching & Learning Symposium

The Process is the Point: Assessment and Feedback in the Age of Generative AI.

Prof Naomi Winstone

Professor of Educational Psychology and Director of the Surrey Institute of Education at the University of Surrey, as our keynote speaker.

Learning unfolds over time, through interpretation, decision-making and revision, yet our pedagogy commonly focuses on artefacts. Assessment has traditionally privileged the work students put forward for assessment over the processes that got them there. In feedback, dominant models focus on the delivery of comments rather than the process of student engagement and implementation of feedback.

In this talk, Prof Winstone will consider what becomes possible when we reframe both feedback and assessment as processes of learning rather than products of performance. 

Brian Minehane

Adjunct Teaching Fellow, Trinity Business School

Brian is an adjunct teaching fellow at Trinity Business School (TBS) where he delivers a master’s level module on Carbon Accounting and Lifecycle Assessment (LCA), as well as a module on Sustainability Measurement and Reporting on the Executive Education programme. He is also a University Teaching Specialist at the UCD Smurfit Business School where he delivers a master’s level module on Business Decision Support Systems.

Brian has a hybrid background having spent 38 years in industry with a focus on Information Technology (IT), FMCG/Retail, and Environmental Sustainability (ES). His career has covered business, consulting, commercial sales/account management, sustainability, education, charitable board chairmanship, project and programme management as well as deep technical skills. Most recently, Brian is Principal at The Sustainable Business Group (SBG) guiding companies on their sustainability (ESG) policies, strategies and actions plan, as well as preparing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reports for company’s VSME and CSRD submissions. He is an ISO 14064 Greenhouse Gas Lead Verifier, both preparing and verifying company’s GHG emissions reports for Scopes 1-3. Previously Brian was Head of Digital Sustainability at Novartis pharmaceuticals and the sustainability programme leader at Ergo Group.

Fionn O’Sullivan 

Academic Support Tutor, Student Learning & Development

Fionn is the Specialist Learning Support Officer at Trinity's disAbility Service. His background is in the cognitive sciences, having completed his undergraduate in Neuroscience at Trinity, an MRes in Philosophy of Neuroscience with a critical focus on theories of memory and computation in living and artificial systems, and an MSc in Applied Social Data Science with a thesis on the effects of LLMs on language complexity. From his role supporting disabled students in achieving their academic goals, he is sceptical "GenAI" will meaningfully improve accessibility. 

Dr Julia O’Sullivan

Visiting Research Fellow, Trinity Institute for Neuroscience

Julia is a PhD graduate in Cellular and Molecular Biology from Université Laval, Quebec, Canada, and is currently a postdoctoral researcher in the field of Physiology at the Trinity Institute for Neuroscience. Her research focuses on the link between neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration using induced pluripotent stem cells. 

In addition to conducting high-quality scientific research, she is committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in science through outreach initiatives such as Soapbox Science, while continually advancing her educational tools and techniques. She strives to create an environment in which students from all backgrounds feel valued and supported in their academic and professional development, and where learning and assessment evolve in response to students’ needs and goals. 

Dr Krzysztof Rowinski

Student Learning & Development 

Krzysztof has a PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he also worked as a lecturer. Prior to coming to Student Learning Development, he taught Polish Studies and Comparative Literature in Trinity. His research deals with theories and representations of failure in 20th-century literature, film, and performance, resistance studies, and cultural memory.

Carmen Sanjulián

Teaching Fellow, Languages, Literatures & Cultural Studies

Carmen Sanjulián is a Teaching Fellow in Spanish at Trinity College Dublin. She recently received one of 2026 TCD Sustainability Leadership Awards. Carmen is currently pioneering the integration of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into the Hispanic Studies curriculum. Her upcoming module in the 2026/2027 Academic Year, Sustainable Futures, will connect linguistic goals with environmental and social values. 

In 2021, she received the Teaching Hero Award, granted by the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in partnership with the Union of Students in Ireland, in recognition of her dedication and transformative impact on students. 

We are delighted to showcase contributions from staff and students across the university through our poster presentations. 

Dr Deirdre D'Arcy

Associate Professor - School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences (M Pharm, PhD, MPSI)

Deirdre is a qualified pharmacist (1999) and holds post graduate diplomas in both Clinical Pharmacy and Quality Improvement, and a PhD in Pharmaceutical Technology. She is a registered pharmacist with the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland and the General Pharmaceutical Council (UK). After spending 3 years training as a specialist clinical pharmacist, during which time she developed an interest in Clinical Pharmacokinetics, Deirdre spent some time in community pharmacy. Following this she undertook a PhD in Pharmaceutical Technology, exploring methods to mathematically simulate pharmaceutical processes. Concurrently, she undertook a diploma in quality improvement and also worked part-time as a community pharmacist. She embarked on her academic career in 2005, in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SOPPS) TCD. 

Grace Foley

Postgraduate Student - School of Linguistic, Speech and Communication Sciences

Grace's doctoral research investigates language attitudes, with a particular focus on the Irish language, language accessibility, and communicative practices in contemporary contexts. She holds a Master of Arts in Journalism and Digital Content Creation and a Bachelor of Arts in TV/Radio and New Media from Munster Technological University, as well as a Master of Arts in Public Media with a specialisation in Strategic Communication from Fordham University in New York City. She has been invited to present her work at the Media Ecology Association conferences in Mexico City and Winnipeg, the Alfred Koryzbski memorial symposium in New York, the New York State Communication Association Annual Conference, and the Eastern Communication Conference in Pittsburgh, and was awarded the Christine L. Nystrom Prize for outstanding graduate scholarship. She is also a nominated film director, with her documentary Reaching for Recovery recognised at the Naas Film Festival. 

Dr Cuisle Forde

ESD Fellow/Associate Professor, Dept of Physiotherapy - School of Medicine

Dr Cuisle Forde is an Associate Professor in the Discipline of Physiotherapy, Trinity College Dublin. She graduated with a BSc in Physiotherapy from Trinity College Dublin in 2008. Having been awarded a Trinity scholarship during her undergraduate career, and an Irish Research Council scholarship to carry out a PhD, she began work on her doctoral thesis the following autumn, which she completed in 2012. During her doctoral studies, Cuisle investigated the efficacy of active video games as a form of exercise for children who have cystic fibrosis and those attending weight management clinics. She also examined the capability of an active video game to be used as a tool to estimate cardiorespiratory fitness. She completed a Diploma in Statistics and was also involved in research projects investigating arterial stiffness and physical activity in adults. After spending some time working clinically and lecturing in critical thinking in Kosovo, Cuisle returned to Dublin in September 2013 to begin a postdoctoral research fellowship in the Discipline of Physiotherapy, Trinity College Dublin. With an interest in technology and innovative teaching methods, Cuisle helped develop the Online Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma in Clinical Exercise and is now coordinator for this course. Her latest publications investigate the efficacy of e-learning for the acquisition of clinical competencies.

Prof Na Fu

Professor Of Responsible Leadership - Trinity Business School

Professor Na Fu is a Chair of Responsible Leadership and Fellow at Trinity College Dublin. She is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), Co-Director of the Trinity Centre for Digital Business and Analytics, Founder and Director of the Trinity AI XR Hub. Driven by a passion for empowering people, Professor Fu has made significant contributions to advancing the understanding and practical applications of responsible leadership through her research, teaching, and international collaborations. As a leading expert, Professor Fu has developed impactful frameworks that enable organizations to build responsible businesses, with a focus on enhancing employee well-being, promoting equality and inclusion, and driving digital transformation and AI in management.

Dr John Gallagher

Assistant Professor, Environmental Systems Modelling  - School of Engineering

Dr John Gallagher is an Assistant Professor in Environmental Systems Modelling from the Department of Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering. John’s research expertise lies in the evaluation and development of passive engineering and nature-based solutions to improve environmental quality conditions in the built environment. His teaching focuses on pollution mitigation, and the life cycle and circularity design of engineering systems for undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Dr Claire Gleeson

Practice Education Co-Ordinator, Dept of Occupational Therapy

Dr Claire I. Gleeson is a registered occupational therapist with CORU (OT020918). She holds a Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Occupational Therapy, a Master of Science by Research and Ph.D. from Trinity College Dublin. She also gained a Postgraduate Advanced Certificate in Education from Queen's University, Belfast, specializing in Autism and an Associate Postgraduate Certificate in Narrative Research from the University of East London.

Claire has extensive teaching experience within higher education, having lectured on the Occupational Therapy degree program, the Professional Master of Education program at Trinity College Dublin, and the Autism Studies course at University College Cork.

Dr Jonathan Hodgers

Teaching Fellow/ESD Fellow, Music - School of Creative Arts

Dr Jonathan Hodgers is a Teaching Fellow in Music. A specialist in popular music and culture, his work explores how music engages with themes of ethics, technology, and sustainability. He teaches across music history, film music, songwriting, AI, and modules such as Music and Climate, encouraging students to consider music’s role in cultural resilience and social change. His monograph Bob Dylan on Film: The Intersection of Music and Visuals was published by Routledge in 2024.

As an ESD Fellow, Jonathan contributes to the strategic integration of sustainability across Trinity’s curricula. With previous research experience in data-enabled student success and employability frameworks, he has a keen interest in how learning environments can support reflective, resilient, and socially engaged graduates. 

Dr Emma Louise Howard

Assistant Professor, Statistics - School of Computer Science & Statistics

Emma is a Assistant Professor in the Trinity College Dublin School of Computer Science and Statistics. Her research interests include the areas of learning analytics, mathematics/statistics education in higher education, aiding student support services through the use of data analytics and student mental health research.

Dr Hao Lucy Liu

Post-doc - School of Computer Science & Statistics

Hao Lucy Liu holds a PhD in Developmental Psychology from the University of St Andrews (2022). She works at the intersection of AI, STEM education, and inclusion. She is a researcher with OurKidsCode at the School of Computer Science and Statistics, Trinity College Dublin, focusing on expanding access to computing education for families from underrepresented and EDI backgrounds, including refugees, immigrants, and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities.

Emily Moffatt

Assistant Professor, Midwifery - School of Nursing & Midwifery

Emily teaches on both undergraduate and postgraduate midwifery programmes. Her specific interests are supporting physiological birth, midwife led care and homebirth.