The School of Social Sciences and Philosophy held the 15th annual Dermot McAleese Teaching Assistant Awards on Thursday, 21 May 2026, recognising outstanding contributions to undergraduate teaching across the School’s four disciplines: Economics, Philosophy, Political Science, and Sociology.
Named in honour of Professor Dermot McAleese, former Whately Professor of Political Economy and a much-loved teacher, the awards were established in 2012 with the support of graduates of the School. Professor McAleese and his family have since provided generous ongoing support to ensure the awards continue for many years to come.
Each year, four Teaching Assistants are selected for their exceptional work in the classroom, with awards of €500 and a commemorative medal presented to one recipient from each discipline.
2026 Award Winners
Lorenzo Cavaglia
Lorenzo`s research focuses on political economy and migration, particularly around immigrant integration and labour market outcomes.
Module | Mathematical and Statistical Methods A & B
Proposers | Dr Nicola Fontana and Dr Michael Wycherley
Mackenzie Batista
Mackenzie`s research primarily focuses on political philosophy, with a specific interest in justice, social issues, human rights, and the rights and responsibilities of groups.
Module | Topics in Philosophy I & II A and Central Problems in Philosophy B
Proposer | Dr Adina Preda and Dr Samantha Fazekas
Elena Karagianni
Elena`s research focuses on blame attribution after natural disasters, and specifically on the communication strategies used by elected officials and their impact on public trust and electoral outcomes.
Module | Applied Statistical Analysis & Quantitative Methods I
Proposer | Dr Jeffrey Ziegler.
Míde Power
Míde`s research focuses on developing training in sexual violence prevention for third level students.
Module | Inequality in the 21st Century
Proposer | Professor Yekaterina Chzhen
Nominees
In addition to the winners, a number of outstanding Teaching Assistants were nominated - just being nominated is in itself a big honour!
Economics
- Aurora Esposito
Modules: Economy of Ireland
Nominated by Dr Tara Mitchell & Dr Yuen Ho
- Libor Melioris
Module: Economy of Ireland
Nominated by Dr Barra Roantree
- Bhavya Shrivastava
Modules: Economy of Ireland A & B, Economics for Management
Nominated by Professor Francis O`Toole
Sociology
- Chloe O`Hanlon
Module: Social Theory 2
Nominated by Professor Richard Layte
The School extends its sincere thanks to Professor McAleese and his family, Camilla, Susannah, and Emma, for their continued support, which ensures the awards will continue to celebrate excellence in teaching for years to come.
