waterford

College Street campus

Dr Anne Graham Cagney

FRSA, CIPD, SEFI

Senior Lecturer

Email: [email protected]

Academic Faculty Faculty of Education and Lifelong Learning
Academic Department Education
Email [email protected]
Phone +353 51 302476
ORCID NUMBER 0000-0001-7815-6126
Social media

Location Waterford
Campus College Street campus
Building St Dominics
Room name or number CL5

Biography

Dr Anne Graham Cagney is a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Education and Lifelong Learning at South East Technological University (SETU), Ireland, and Deputy Director of the Nutrition Research Centre Ireland (NRCI). She is a Fulbright Scholar (Social Sciences), Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and President Emerita of the Irish Fulbright Alumni Association (IFAA).

Her research is grounded in an interpretivist action research tradition, with expertise in mixed methods research design and qualitative inquiry. She brings an interdisciplinary background spanning Cognitive Psychology, Organisation Behaviour and Development, and Human Resource Development. A central focus of her work is the generation of usable knowledge derived from research that is theoretically rigorous and translatable into education and organisation policy, practice and success.

Her doctoral and post-doctoral research examined perspective transformation and professional identity in executive and higher education contexts. Her current research interests include professional identity and role engagement in interdisciplinary research environments, adult learning, and career adaptability.

She has held research fellowships at Trinity College Dublin, served as Researcher in Residence with the Teaching Council of Ireland, and was an invited member of the Expert Working Group on Education and Social Rights for the Government of Ireland's national research initiative Creating Our Future. In addition to her Education and Lifelong Learning faculty role, Anne is funded by The Howard Foundation to work with Professor John Nolan at the NRCI, to further develop interdisciplinary approaches to research in human nutrition and brain and ocular health. She is an invited expert evaluator for the European Commission.

During her career she has held academic and leadership positions at Copenhagen Business School and the Open University Business School, and has extensive experience leading and facilitating senior teams in organisational change and development across the public and private sectors.

Teaching, Research Supervision and Programme Leader

Teaching at SETU: Doctoral (Level 10): Research Methodologies; Research Ethics and Integrity. Masters (Level 9) and BA (Level 8): Psychology, Organisation Strategy, HRM/Strategic HRD, Qualitative Research Methods, Research Integrity & Ethics.

Teaching in External HEIs (National and International): Doctoral, Masters and Executive programmes. Organisation and Management and Leader Development

Research Supervision at SETU: PhD, MA Research, MA/PG Minor Dissertations

External Research Supervision (National and International): PhD, DBA, MA Research and MA/PG Minor Dissertations

SETU Internal Examiner and External Examiner (other HEIs): PhD, EdD, MA Research, MA/PG Minor Dissertations

SETU Programme Leader: MA in Management and Leadership and BA Adult and Further Education (previously)

External Programme Leader & Academic Responsible: Copenhagen Business School, Executive MBA & MBA Blue Leader Development Programmes (previously)

Guest/ Visiting Lecturer: I have delivered guest lectures and seminars at various universities/ professional bodies / schools, including:

National: Trinity College Dublin, NALA, Dublin Institute of Technology, Open University Business School, Dublin City University, University College Dublin, Irish Management Institute and National College of Ireland. Local schools in the Southeast.

International: University of Copenhagen; Henley Management College, UK; Copenhagen Business School; University of Georgia, Athens, USA; USF Global; University of Texas at Austin; College of Education, University of South Florida; USA , Henley Business School/University of Reading, UK.

Research Expertise

Professional learning and identity. Cross-disciplinary thinking and learning. Inter-organisational collaboration. Qualitative Methodologies. Action learning. Action Research.

Research Projects - see information on

ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7815-6126

Consulting & External Business Experience:

Sea-Cargo AS (Norway); AP Moller Maersk Group (Denmark); NIEA (Northern Ireland); LEGO (Denmark); Church of Ireland; South West College (Northern Ireland); Prudential European Group (UK & Ireland); Philips (Netherlands); RABO Bank (Netherlands); Microsoft (USA, UK & Ireland); Sun Micro-Systems (USA, Ireland); GSK (UK & Israel); Élan Pharmaceuticals (Ireland); Bass Group (UK); Higher Education Authority (Ireland); Garda Representative Association (Police Representative Assoc (Ireland); Local Government Computer Services Board (Ireland), Compaq (Ireland); Carr Communications;Becton Dickinson (Ireland & USA); Teagasc (Rural Development Authority, Ireland); Health & Safety Authority (Ireland).

Researcher in Residence, Teaching Council, 2022-2023

Shortlisted for SETU Research Excellence Awards 2022_Excellence in Research Supervision

Invited Member, Expert Working Group on Education & Social Rights, Government of Ireland National Campaign ‘Creating Our Future: A National Conversation on Research in Ireland’ (https://creatingourfuture.ie/) July 2021

Nominee, Research Supervisor Excellence Award, Waterford Institute of Technology (2021)

Nominee, European Award for Excellence in Teaching in the Social Sciences and Humanities (2021)

Nominee, Research Supervisor Excellence Award, Waterford Institute of Technology (2019).

Visiting Professor, Henley Business School, University of Reading, UK (2010 to date)

Visiting Research Fellow, Trinity Business School, Trinity College Dublin 2011-2014 and 2014-2017

Fulbright Scholar (Social Sciences) 2014

Fulbright Scholar Social Entrepreneurship: Innovating Nonprofits and Developing Communities International Award. Sponsored by U.S. Dept. of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.Communities. 2014

Memberships (Selected)

Fellow: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development

Fellow: Royal Society of Arts (RSA)

Member: Academy of Management

Member: European Member: European Research Network on Vocational Education and Training

Member: European Society for Engineering Education

Member: Educational Studies Association of Ireland

Member: International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Member: Association for Research in Post Compulsory Education

PhD Students PI/Lead Supervision | In progress

Fitzgerald, S. Exploring Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Educator Mindsets and Identity in Technological Universities (TU) in Ireland. [WIT PhD Scholarship/FT]

Brophy, S. Condon, R. Bright Eyes, Sharp Minds, Better Lives (BEST). [The Howard Foundation PhD Scholarship/FT].

O'Neill, M. Exploring the current practice of Transitions from Pre-school to Primary School including and not limited to the Southeast of Ireland. [Self-funded/PT]

Concannon, B. The Research and Development Learning Environment (RDLE): Thinking and Talking Across Disciplines. [SERD WIT PhD Scholarship/FT].

MA Research Students | In progress

Buckley, N. Supplementation with carotenoids for Longer, Enhanced and Enriched sleep Performance. [SLEEP]. Preliminary research programme/FT.

TBC. Selective-eating in Paediatrics: Evaluating Carotenoid consumption and Tackling the Risk of Undernutrition in autistic Minors [SPECTRUM}. Preliminary research programme/PT.

PhD and MA Research Students [Completed at WIT/SETU]

Condon, R. (2026). Re-mediating the Teaching-Learning Environment to Support the Transfer of Learning Across the University-Workplace-University Trajectory in Undergraduate Engineering Education. PhD Thesis. Waterford, South East Technological University

Greene, M. (2024) An Exploration of the Nature of Personal Engagement in Research Work in Technological Universities. PhD Thesis. Waterford, South East Technological University. Available at https://SETU.ie

O'Mahony, A. (2021) An Exploration of FET Teacher Engagement with Career Progress and Continuing Professional Development. MA Research Dissertation. Waterford. Waterford Institute of Technology. Available athttps://SETU.ie

[Not listed: Other MA Research and EdD students outside of WIT/SETU in Ireland and Internationally

Supervised Works

Doolan, Leigh. (2025) Leading and Managing a Community of Practice (CoP) in a Post-Primary School, MAME Dissertation. South East Technological University, Waterford.

Healy, A. (2025). An Exploration of Post-Primary Teachers’ Perspectives on the Design of their Job and its Impact on their Psychological Health. MAME Dissertation. South East Technological University, Waterford.

O’Dea. C. (2025). Examining Staff Conflict in Irish Post-Primary Schools: Causes, Outcomes and the Role of School Leadership. MAME Dissertation. South East Technological University, Waterford.

Greene, M. (2024). An exploration of the nature of personal engagement in research work in Institutes of Technology in Ireland. PhD Thesis. South East Technological University, Waterford.

Rothwell, D. (2024). An Exploration of the Barriers to Female Apprenticeship Recruitment in Craft Trades in South East Ireland. MAME Dissertation. South East Technological University, Waterford.

Glancy, E. (2023). An Examination of the Implementation of Distributed Leadership in a Primary School Setting. MAME Dissertation. South East Technological University, Waterford.

O’Donnell, A. (2023). Exploring Primary School Teachers’ Perspectives of Distributed Leadership and How They Can Engage in The Process In Irish Primary Schools. MAME Dissertation. South East Technological University, Waterford.

Rothwell, D. (2023). An Exploration of the Barriers to Female Apprenticeship Recruitment in Craft Trades in South East Ireland. MAME Dissertation. South East Technological University, Waterford.

Fitzgerald, D. (2022). An Exploration of Irish Primary School Teachers’ Experiences of Dealing with Conflict between Students in the Schoolyard During Breaktimes. MAME Dissertation. Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford.

Geraghty, A. (2022). Primary Principals’ Experience of Distributed Leadership. MAME Dissertation. Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford.

White, W. (2022). Exploring Second Level Teachers’ Experience of Co-teaching. MAME Dissertation. Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford.

Conway, R. (2021). What Are Teachers Experience Of Student Engagement With Mathematics Pre and Post Covid-19, At Junior Cycle Level, in A Second Level School In Ireland? MAME Dissertation. Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford.

Duane, A. (2021). An Exploratory Study of How Background And Motivational Factors Influence Student Enrolment on a College Degree Programme In Technology. MEd Dissertation. Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford.

Fitzgerald, S. (2021). Trading Places: An Exploration of the Experiences of Further Education and Training Tutors, with Alternative Disciplinary Backgrounds. MEd Dissertation. Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford.

O’Mahony, A. (2021). An exploration of FET teacher engagement with career progress and continuing professional development. MA Research Dissertation. Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford.

O’Toole, M. (2021). Exploring the Learning Experiences of LGBT+ Students in Second Level Schools in South-East Ireland. MAME Dissertation. Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford.

Recent Publications

Fitzgerald, S. & Graham Cagney, A. (2026). Trading Places: Transitioning from Workplace Practitioner to Educator in Further Education and Training. In Education Matters: Ireland’s Yearbook of Education 2026. .

Rothwell, D. & Graham Cagney, A. (2026) Can't See It, Can't Be It: Exploring Barriers to Female Apprentice Recruitment in South East Ireland. In Education Matters: Ireland’s Yearbook of Education 2026.

Cagney, K., Nolan, J.M., & Graham Cagney, A. (2025) The LifeMeter Study: Irish consumers knowledge, understanding and insights on macular supplements. Working paper. Submitted to Journal of Nutritional Science. [Under Review]

Graham Cagney, A. & Morris, S. (2025). Leading during digital technology change and disruption in a further education and training environment: Within and beyond the pandemic. The Irish Journal of Management. https://doi.org/10.2478/ijm-2024-0014

Fitzgerald, D. & Graham Cagney, A. (2024). Give us a break: Irish primary school teachers’ experiences supervising the schoolyard during breaktimes. In Education Matters: Ireland’s Yearbook of Education 2024.

Cordie, L.A., Cagney, A. G., & Adelino, L. (2020). International faculty collaborations: Social learning through professional communities. Learning Communities Journal, 12

Graham Cagney, A. & Cordie, L. (2024). The Online Doctoral Community of Practice (CoP): Sustaining the Doctoral Experience in the 21st Century. In Education Matters: Ireland’s Yearbook of Education 2023.

O’Toole, M. & Graham Cagney, A. (2024) Exploring the experiences of LGBT+ secondary school students in South East Ireland. In Education Matters: Ireland’s Yearbook of Education 2023.

Brophy, A. & Graham Cagney, A. (2024). The Wellbeing and Values In-School Project: Designing A Wellbeing and Values Programme for Primary School Children. In Education Matters: Ireland’s Yearbook of Education 2024.

Other Publications

Graham Cagney, A. (2019) ‘I Am What I Do’ . . . Professional Voices From the field of further education and training. In J.A. Gammel, S. Motulsky & A. Rutstein Riley (Eds). I Am What I Become: Constructing an Identity as a Lifelong Learner. IAP Publishing. 2019.

Graham Cagney, A. (2014). Transformative Learning. In D. Coghlan & M.Brydon Miller (Eds). The SAGE Encyclopaedia of Action Research, SAGE Publications. ISBN: 9781849200271.

Graham Cagney, A. (2014). Cognitive Mapping, In D. Coghlan & M.Brydon Miller (Eds). The SAGE Encyclopaedia of Action Research, SAGE Publications. ISBN: 9781849200271.

Graham Cagney, Anne (2011) Finding the Red Thread: Toward a Theory of Transformative Learning in Executive Education. PhD Thesis. Dublin: University of Dublin (Trinity College Dublin). https://hdl.handle.net/2262/111841

Graham, A & Coghlan, D. (2008) Creating the learning space for insider Inquiry: Threshold concepts in observing organizations. In C. Rust (ed.), Improving Student Learning through the Curriculum, Proceedings of 2008 16th International Symposium, Improving Student Learning, Oxford Brookes University: Oxford (pp. 220-232).

Full list of other peer reviewed publications and papers are set out in ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7815-6126

EU Invited Expert Reviewer, 2025-date