Dr Jacinta Byrne-Doran

Dr. Jacinta Byrne-Doran has been employed at Waterford Institute of Technology since 1999 (now SETU). Her previous  employment history encompassed a focus on both professional practice and academia including lecturing in many other institutions, training and independent consultancy in career guidance and counselling. As a lecturer in Psychology within the School of Humanities in WIT, Dr. Byrne-Doran teaches psychology across a range of academic programmes. In addition Dr. Byrne-Doran has engaged actively in post graduate research supervision for a number of years. Currenly she is a member of four post graduate supervisory teams and is a strong believer in a team approach to supervision at levels 9 and 10. Dr. Byrne-Doran's collaborations with WIT colleagues in the past and currently with both WIT and IT Carlow colleagues have resulted in securing funding for post graduate scholarships. Dr. Byrne-Doran has acted in the role of external examiner for PhD confirmation/transfer examinations in TU, Dublin (2019; 2020) and PhD Viva Voce examination in WIT in 2021.  Dr. Byrne-Doran's doctoral research was titled ' A Narrative Study of Lived Experiences of Working Mothers in Ireland'. 

Dr Byrne-Doran teaches psychology on the BA (Hons) Psychology primarily. In addition she teaches psycholgy modules on the BA (Hons) Social Care Practice, and BA (Hons) Criminal Justice. Dr. Byrne-Doran's teaching specialisms  fall primarily in Developmental and Counselling Psychology. 

Dr. Byrne-Doran's current research interests lie broadly in areas of gender and work and qualitative research frameworks. More specifically, research interests lie in topics on motherhood and families/breastfeeding/women and work. 

Dr. Byrne-Doran is currently collaborating with Dr. Katherine Cagney, Dept of Arts, School of Humanities on a Research Connexions 2022 Funded project on the representations of breastfeeding in children's books.

Dr. Byrne-Doran and Dr. Katherine Cagney, Dept of Arts, School of Humanities are engaged in ongoing collaborating on an evaluation of their ERT (Enriching Reachable Tasks) Document; a tutorial support  resource adopted within their teaching.  

Research Grants awarded (International projects/collaborations on Post Graduate Supervsion for Funded Projects including IOT PG research funding/WIT Scholarship/ South East Regional Development Fund PG scholarships.  

EU Socrates Minerva Project at Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland. 2003 A transnational project on The Use of ICT/ODL in Promoting Social Inclusion. 2003. 

(Team member for WIT group – group leader Mary Barry, WIT) Value = joint project total of €420,000, with €69,416 to WIT 

IOT Strand 1 funded research project Science and Technology Strand, 2006 The Design of Multimedia-Based Instruction to support the academic and social development of children with Autism Co-supervision with Mary Barry, Department of Computing, Maths and Physics. Value = €37,000. 

IOT Strand 1 funded research project from the Business and Humanities Strand, 2006 An IMS Learning Design Meta-model for Learners with Autism - Masters by research project. Co-supervision with Mary Barry, Department of Computing, Maths and Physics. Value = €35,000.  

IOT Strand 1 funded research project for a Masters by Research, 2008 Changing Irish Childhoods 

Co-authored with Colleague Fergus Hogan WIT.  value = €40,000. 

WIT PhD Research Postgraduate Scholarship, 2015 Performing the Region: Performing Women.  

Co-authored with Colleagues (Dr. Una Kealy and Dr. Richard Hayes) Value = Stipend: €10,000 Research costs: €2,000 - Postgraduate research fees are included in the scholarship

South East Regional Development Scholarship Fund 2020/2021, Wired and Developing: The Role of Digital Interaction in Early Childhood Education and Care. Co-authored with WIT Colleague Dr. K. Cagney and IT Carlow PI Dr. D. McDonnell. Value = Stipend: €16,000 Fees: €4,500 Research costs: €2,000.

South East Regional Development Scholarship Fund 2020/2021, Researching together: Teenage girls co-creating a Social Media Literacy programme. Co-authored with WIT Colleague Dr. I. Loveikaite, PI and IT Carlow Colleague Dr. E. O’Leary. Value = Stipend: €16,000 Fees: €4,500 Research costs: €2,000

South East Regional Development Scholarship Fund 2020/2021, Co-Designing an Inclusive Age Friendly Multi Campus University for the Future. Co-authored with IT Carlow PI Dr. P. J. White and IT Carlow Colleague Dr. Brian Casey. Value = Stipend: €16,000 Fees: €4,500 Research costs: €2,000.  

WIT Research Connexions 2022, Pathway 5 Publication Fund. Collaborative Project with Dr. Katherine Cagney. Value €2920

SETU PhD Scholarship 2023 Play and Creativity in the Primary School Context (Focus on ages 8-12): An exploration of Characteristics, Processes and Implications for Curriculum Development. Co-authored with Dr. C. Maher, SETU Carlow and Dr. K. Cagney, SETU Waterford. Total Value = Euro 105,000.