I received my PhD from NUI Maynooth (NUIM) in 2001. After spending one further year at NUIM conducting postdoctoral research, I was appointed to the School of Psychology at NUI Galway in August, 2002. My research focuses on the analysis of language and cognition from a behaviour analytic and more specifically Relational Frame Theory (RFT) perspective. Within the School of Psychology Im a member of thea target=_blank rel=nofollow href=http:www.nuigalway.iepsychologycontextual_behavioural_science_group.htmlContextual Behavioural Science (CBS) group which comes under thea target=_blank rel=nofollow href=http:www.nuigalway.iepsybrain_and_behaviour.htmlBrain and Behaviour theme. Im also a member of several external associations dedicated to the promotion of behavioural science. I was made a fellow of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Sciencea target=_blank rel=nofollow href=http:contextualscience.org(ACBS) in June 2014. Im currently also in theAssociation for Behavior Analysis Internationala target=_blank rel=nofollow href=http:www.abainternational.org(ABAI) , the European Association for Behaviour Analysisa target=_blank rel=nofollow href=http:www.europeanaba.org(EABA) and the Experimental Analysis of Behaviour Groupa target=_blank rel=nofollow href=http:eabg.bangor.ac.uk(EABG) . I was on the executive council of the Psychological Society of Ireland from 2004 to 2008 and was Honorary Secretary from 2005 to 2007.

The Experimental Analysis of Language and Cognition: The development of language and complex cognitive skills; Analogical reasoning and metaphorical language; Stimulus equivalence and Relational Frame Theory (RFT). Applications of Relational Frame Theory: RFT and psychotherapy, with a special interest in Acceptance Commitment Therapy; RFT and education. Philosophical Issues in Psychology: The epistemology of behavioural psychology and its relationship to current research; The historical development of philosophical world views in psychology; Philosophical and conceptual issues in psychology and linguistic philosophy.

My focus in terms of teaching is theoretical behaviour analysis. I currently teach 1st, 2nd and 3rd year undergraduates and contribute to the Masters in Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA).