Meet the Team
We're always happy to talk! If you'd like to chat simply click on our details below, or email: cde@ucc.ie.
Tom O'Mara - Head of Digital Education (CDE Manager)
Email: tom.omara@ucc.ie
Tel.: (087) 2244725
Tom O’ Mara is Head of Digital Education in UCC and manages the Centre for Digital Education.
Tom sits on Digital, IT and eLearning committees and working groups both within and outside UCC including Quality and Capacity, Validation and advisory panels for Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) and Board Director of the National Adult Literacy Agency.
Tom is a UCC English and Maths graduate with an Open University Masters in Online and Distance Education and certificates in English language teaching, instructional design, multimedia development and leadership.
Tom has been a professional educator for over 29 years, working across the public and private sectors and a range of learning contexts before joining UCC in 2015. His prior experience includes:
- English language teacher at third level in Thailand, Egypt and Ireland;
- Instructional Designer in Research and Development of commercial elearning companies, designing content for online blue-chip and public companies;
- Series Editor, Instructional Designer and Multimedia Developer with TV/eLearning company; and
- Distance Education Co-ordinator for the Irish National Adult Literacy Agency.
Outside of work, Tom is a father of two teenagers, and a lifelong scout, hiker, fly fisher and Tipperary hurling supporter.
For more information go to: linkedin.com/in/tomomara1/
Clíodhna O'Callaghan - Digital Education Officer
Email: c.ocallaghan@ucc.ie
Clíodhna is a higher education professional and absolutely student & person centred. Clíodhna's background is in higher education management and in lecturing in law and (digital) education (live and online). Clíodhna is a qualified Attorney-at-Law in the State of New York, USA with a degree in Law & European Studies and an LLM Masters qualification in Law.
In 2012 Clíodhna was honoured to win the 'President's Award for Academic Excellence in Teaching & Learning' for an initiative around ‘Assessment for Learning’. In 2014 Clíodhna launched, project managed, and lectured on the first law degree to go online/ blended in Ireland. In December of 2019 Clíodhna was delighted to lead out on the national IUA (Irish Universities Association) project - 'Enhancing Digital Teaching & Learning' (EDTL) for UCC. The aim of the project was to enhance the digital attributes and educational experiences of university students through enabling the mainstreamed and integrated use of digital technologies across the teaching and learning process. Clíodhna is also Co-Chair of UCC’s Women’s Network, Mná@UCC.
Clíodhna is from the Cúil Aodha Gaeltacht in Co. Cork and a gaeilgeoir with a genuine grá for the Irish language, culture, and tradition. Clíodhna is passionate about enhancing student centred, accessible, learning and teaching, human rights, social inclusion, lifelong learning, widening participation, equality & equity, and breaking down barriers to education for all.
For more information go to: linkedin.com/in/clíodhna-o-callaghan-a746b568/
Fergal Harrington - Digital Education Officer
Email: fergalharrington@ucc.ie
Fergal joined the CDE Team in October 2023, adopting the role of Digital Education Officer. In this role, he has been leading the Digital Assessment Project, an investigation into how digital technology is being, and can be, used to enhance assessment practices. He also coordinates the University’s network of Instructional Designers.
Since the UCC’s purchase of Vevox, a live-audience engagement platform, Fergal has led the multimodal roll-out and staff-upskilling initiative around using Vevox toward greater enhancement of student and staff engagement. He also adopts the department’s Data Champion role, and ensures the CDE’s adherence with respect to institutional, national, and international standards for data-management and cyber-security.
Fergal’s research background into collaborative learning through cognitive linguistics, for which he was awarded the Mary L. Thornton national research scholarship and the Early Career Research Award from the Education Studies Association of Ireland, focuses his professional interests around fostering professionally collaborative communities of practice, democratic education, and adopting enabling metaphorical language.
Prior to this, Fergal taught Physics and Maths at post-primary levels, in Mayfield Community College, Cork, and Wellington East Girls’ College, Wellington, New Zealand, where he also worked as Specialist Classroom Teacher for Digital Technology.
For more information go to: linkedin.com/in/dr-fergal-harrington-00036895/
Eugene Campbell - Digital Education Support Assistant
Email: ecampbell@ucc.ie
Before joining UCC in September 2022, Eugene spent seven years working on department-level admissions and recruitment at University of York in the UK. This varied position included high-volume application processing, liaising with central teams, and organising events such as undergraduate interview days and masters taster sessions. Prior to his stint in the UK, Eugene worked in arts administration within Wexford County Council. During this period, he gained experience of working with artists in Community, Health, and Primary Education settings. Again, event organising was a significant part of his work activity, in addition to finance and oversight of the Wexford County Council Art Collection.
As part of the CDE, Eugene's areas of responsibility include Digital Badges, Agresso and Health & Safety. He also collaborates with HR and OVPLT respectively on the UCC Professional Skills Digital Badge and the OVPLT Talks video series.
For more information go to: linkedin.com/in/eugene-campbell-1a7706bb/
Michelle Donovan - Instructional Designer
Email: mdonovan@ucc.ie
Michelle is an Instructional Designer with the CDE. Having graduated in 2015 with a degree in Electrical and Electronic engineering from UCC, Michelle began working on a startup called TAPSTAK - Developing a Universal platform for Interaction - using one mobile application to interact with anything at the tap of a button.
Michelle has always had a keen interest in the use of technology in Education. In her final year of college, working with robotics designed to help children with learning difficulties and also as part of an interdisciplinary team designing a device for training cystoscopy. While studying in UCC, she also volunteered with a local Lego club teaching robotics and developed an educational board game for the Year of George Boole.
In early 2021, Michelle returned to UCC as a Research Support Officer under CDE with the SATLE funded Learning Analytics LITE project and has remained interested in the area of Learning Analytics ever since.
On conclusion of this project, Michelle remained with the CDE team and took up the role of Instructional Designer. This role involves supporting UCC staff in implementing technological solutions as part of their pedagogical practice through problem solving, training and consultation.
Ríanna Peck - Instructional Designer
Email: rianna.peck@ucc.ie
Ríanna has been working as an Instructional Designer for the Office of the Vice-President for Learning & Teaching since March 2017. She graduated with a Bachelors of Pharmacy in 2016, followed by a Higher Diploma in Applied Computing Technology in 2018, both from UCC. As part of the Centre for Digital Education team, she liaises with academic staff from a variety of departments to provide advice, support and training in the development of online and blended courses.