Biography
Dr Aoife Lynam is an Assistant Professor in Psychology of Education in the School of Education at Trinity College Dublin. She was awarded the Trinity Gold Medal (2009) for outstanding undergraduate performance and received a Trinity College Dublin Faculty Scholarship (2012). She is also a former Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences Scholar (2013"2015). Her doctoral research, which was supported by two scholarships, examined the experiences of bereaved young people in Irish primary and post-primary schools. Dr Lynam has over 18 years" experience in education and has worked full-time in higher education since 2015. She lectures in Psychology of Education, Research Methods, and Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE), and has extensive experience supervising pre-service teachers both on school placement and in the completion of their research dissertations. She serves as Programme Coordinator for the M.Ed. in Psychology of Education and as Dissertation Coordinator for the Research Methods module within the Professional Master of Education programme, contributing to programme development, student support, and postgraduate research supervision. Her research and collaborative work has spanned a number of institutions, including Trinity College Dublin, Stranmillis University College, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), Hibernia College, and Dublin City University (DCU). Dr Lynam is an Advisory Board Member of the Irish Childhood Bereavement Network (ICBN), a member of the Management Board of the Trinity Research in Childhood Centre (TRiCC), and serves on the management board of the Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities (TCPID). She is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Educational Studies Association of Ireland (ESAI). Dr Lynam has published and presented her research widely at both national and international levels.
Publications and Further Research Outputs
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Unlearning colonial perspectives in psychology of education. in, editor(s)A.M. Lynam & C. Mc Guckin , Contemporary issues in the psychology of education, IGI Publishers, 2026, pp35 - 54, [Lynam, A. M., Ehiwe, L., Mc Guckin, C., McCarthy, P., & Fitzgerald, G.]
Aoife Lynam, Conor McGuckin, Lucie Ehiwe, Decolonising Ireland"s education system remains vital despite the country"s wealth and privilege, 2025
Aoife Lynam, Conor McGuckin, Jennifer Banks, Marie Devitt, Michael Shevlin, Des Aston, Barbara Ringwood, Eileen A. Murphy, Sadbh Feehan, Owen Barden, Vivian Rath, John Kubiak, Angela Mazzocco, Jill Woodnutt, Creating Inclusive University Experiences, 2025, p151 - 186, p151-186
Creating Inclusive University Experiences: A Bio-Ecological Perspective in, editor(s)C. Rogers-Shaw, T. Williams Park, K. Mohney, & K. Sheward , Fostering a Community of Success for Neurodivergent Collegiate Students, Hershey, PA, IGI Global Scientific Publishing, 2025, pp151 - 186, [Aoife Mary Lynam, Conor McGuckin, Jennifer M. Banks, Marie Devitt, Michael Shevlin, Des Aston, Barbara Ringwood, Emer Murphy, Sadbh Feehan, Owen Barden, Vivian Rath, John Kubiak, Angela Mazzocco, Jill Woodnutt]
Lynam, A.M., Mc Guckin, C., `People ignore you because they are afraid " ": retrospective school and life experiences of individuals who were bereaved in childhood, Pastoral Care in Education, 2025
Kate Carr"Fanning, Aoife Lynam, Tom Nicholson, Conor McGuckin, From ADHD Diagnosis to Meaning: Does Grief Theory Enhance Our Understanding of Narrative Reconstruction?, Brain Sciences, 15, (10), 2025, p1045 - 1045, p1045-1045
Sinéad McNally, Lisa Keenan, Aoife Lynam, Christina O"Keeffe, Mary Rose Sweeney, `I Don"t Mind if You Ask Me": Methodological Insights From Conducting Inclusive Interviews With Autistic Students About Their School Experiences, International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 24, 2025
Aoife Lynam, Lucie Ehiwe, Conor Mc Guckin, Patricia McCarthy, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Unlearning Colonial Perspectives in Psychology of Education, 2025, p35 - 54, p35-54
Creating inclusive schools: Enhancing educational opportunities for migrant and refugee children in Ireland in, editor(s)B. Mooney , Education matters: Ireland's yearbook of education 2024, Dublin, Ireland, Education Matters., 2024, pp341 - 344, [Zheng, B., Lynam, A. M., & Mc Guckin, C.]
Children come to school with more than the bags on their back. Discussing grief support in Irish schools in, editor(s)B. Mooney , Ireland"s education yearbook 2023, Dublin, Ireland, Education Matters, 2024, pp177 - 180, [Lynam, A., & Mc Guckin, C]
Childminding's role in early childhood education and care. Creating societal awareness in, Ireland"s education yearbook 2023, Dublin, Ireland, Education Matters, 2024, pp109 - 113, [Moran, S., Lynam, A., & Mc Guckin, C.]
Selina McCoy, O'Brien / Lynam, How field experience shapes pre-service primary teachers" technology integration knowledge and practice, Teacher Development, 26, (4), 2022, p567--586
Using qualitative research methods in education research in, editor(s)D. Fahie & S. Bergin , Doing research in education: A beginner's guide, University College Dublin Press, 2022, pp64 - 81, [Lynam, A., Kelly, M., & Mc Guckin, C.]
Selina McCoy, Aoife M. Lynam, Video-based self-reflection among pre-service teachers in Ireland: A qualitative study, Education and Information Technologies, 26, (1), 2021, p921--944
Lynam, A., McConnell, B., & Mc Guckin, C., BeSAD . . . "it was truly an awful experience": An exploration of pre-service teachers' experiences and training needs to support pupils experiencing issues of bereavement, separation and divorce., Pastoral Care in Education., 38, (1), 2020, p64 - 82
Selina McCoy, Aoife Lynam, Mary Kelly, A CASE FOR USING SWIVL FOR DIGITAL OBSERVATION IN AN ONLINE OR BLENDED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, International Journal on Innovations in Online Education, 2, (2), 2018
Research Expertise
Description
My personal research interests are centred on the psychology of education, with a particular focus on the interplay between emotional well-being, neurodiversity, and learning environments. I am deeply interested in the experiences of bereavement and loss within educational contexts, examining how schools can support students navigating grief and its associated challenges. This includes exploring the roles of educators, peers, and the wider school community in fostering resilience and providing meaningful interventions during times of emotional upheaval. Another key area of my research lies in neurodiversity, particularly autism, and its implications for educational practice and policy. I am committed to understanding how educational settings can better accommodate neurodivergent learners by adopting inclusive, flexible approaches that celebrate diversity and recognise individual strengths. My work seeks to bridge psychological theory with practical strategies, aiming to create environments that support all learners in reaching their full potential. Together, these areas of interest reflect my commitment to advancing our understanding of how psychological principles can be applied to address the diverse needs of students, ensuring their emotional well-being and educational success are at the forefront of educational practice.Recognition
Awards and Honours
Nominated for Inspiring Educator Award
Nominated for the Excellence in Supervision of Students Award
Nominated for the Excellence in Teaching Award
Irish Research Council for the Humanities and the Social Sciences Scholarship
Trinity Faculty Scholarship
Master of Arts
Trinity Gold Medal
Memberships
Member of the Educational Studies Association of Ireland (ESAI) Executive Committee
Member of the Teaching Council
Member of Educational Studies Association of Ireland
Member of the Trinity Research in Childhood Centre (TRiCC)
Advisory Board Member of the Irish Childhood Bereavement Network (ICBN)
Board Director for Vision Ireland