Experience & Education
Where I've been.
What I've built.
I've gone from a career in psychology research spread across four Irish institutions to a masters in software development. My timeline demonstrates my entire journey, including the overlap between these two areas.
Timeline
MSc Software Development
University of Limerick
First Class Honours. Thesis: Designing Neurodivergent-Friendly Accessibility Features in a Small-Scale Godot RPG. This projects combines cognitive accessibility research with hands-on game development and autoethnographic methodology.
Research Assistant
Maynooth University/University of Limerick
Long-running research role held simultaneously with other positions. Prof Msetfi often employs me on small projects in various areas of reasearch.
- Built and deployed Python automation for web scraping and large-scale dataset analysis in unfamiliar policy domains.
- Automated multi-source data ingestion and transformation pipelines
- Produced analytical reports and visualisations for senior leadership
- Co-authored peer-reviewed publications in multiple journals
Concurrent with PhD research as well as Lecturer, Postdoc, and Lero roles
Researcher: Esports Science Research Lab
Lero, SFI Research Centre for Software
Conducted mixed-methods user research on esports performance, combining quantitative data processing with qualitative analysis.
- Created Python tools to merge hundreds of experimental data files into analysis-ready datasets
- Presented usability and performance insights to Logitech industry stakeholders
This was a fixed-term, 11-month contract.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Dublin City University
Contributed to funded projects on behavioural interventions and cancer research. Conducted systematic reviews, data analysis, and manuscript writing.
Held concurrently with Lecturer and Research Assistant roles. This was also a fixed-term, six-month contract.
Lecturer in Psychology
Mary Immaculate College
Module coordinator for Introduction to Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, and Research Methods. Supervised three undergraduate dissertations to completion.
- Designed assessments and delivered lectures across multiple modules
- Transitioned all modules to online delivery during COVID-19
- Also lectured on other modules including Intermediate Statistics and Abnormal Psychology
- Invited to guest lecture about video game psychology for an MSc programme (2020, 2023)
Structured PhD in Psychology
University of Limerick
Thesis: Press Start to Play: A Self-Determination Theory Approach to the Relationship Between Video Games and Well-Being. Completed in just three years.
- Published literature review in Perspectives on Psychological Science (~500 citations)
- Two empirical studies using large-scale survey data and psychometric instruments
- Quoted in WIRED and MIT Technology Review
MSc Psychological Science
University of Limerick
Upper Second Class Honours. Thesis: Childhood Maltreatment as a Predictor for Non-Suicidal Self-Injury. This project involved survey administration, analysis, and comprehensive literature review.
BA Psychology
California State University, Fresno
First Class Honours. No undergraduate thesis was required for completion.