Regina Kelly

Dr.

Accepting PhD Students

PhD projects

Physics Education, Science Education

20152024

Research activity per year

Personal profile

Biography

Dr Regina Kelly is an Associate Professor in Science Educationandnbsp;in the School of Education and is the Course Director for the undergraduate Science Education programmes in the University of Limerick. Her main teaching relates to science methods specialising in physics pedagogy, which she teaches at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. Her research interests focus on science education, science preservice teacher education, inclusive STEM education, and teaching and learning in higher education. She has coordinated a number of internationally and nationally funded research projects, including WiSTEM2D, Gender Gap in Science, and STeP into Science. She is currently a PI on the EU-funded OTTER project looking at Education Outside the Classroom.andnbsp; She is also a recipient of an Irish Research Council New Foundations Award and PI of the Planning Science Inquiry project.

Research Interests

2021- 2024 : OTTER - Outdoor Science Education for a Sustainable Future SwafS-24-2020: Science education outside the classroom

Principal Investigators: Dr Orla McCormack and Dr Regina Kelly

Brief Description: The overall objective of the OTTER project is to enhance the understanding of Education Outside the Classroom (EOC) methods and pedagogies and how they can help improve the acquisition of scientific knowledge and transferable skills in students, specifically in the field of environmental sustainability and the reduction of plastic waste. It aims to increase interest in scientific topics among young people, while also contributing to the range of innovative educational projects and the increase of scientific citizenship within the EU.

Funding: HORIZON 2020 SwafS-24-2020, Science education outside the classroom (€272,531)

2019: Planning Inquiry Science Lessons: Unpacking science concepts and teaching strategies required for inquiry-based science education

Project Team: Dr Regina Kelly (PI), Dr Deirdre O Neill, Dr John O Reilly University of Limerick, and Dr Margaret Marshman affiliated with the University of Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia.

Brief Description: a collaborative project that will compare how Irish Science pre-service teachers and Australian Science pre-service teachers design inquiry lessons.

Funding: Irish Research Council under the New Foundations Scheme 2019, Strand 2: Knowledge exchange for impact 2019

Title: Institute of Physics National Survey of Science Teachers and Post Primary School Principal

Project Team: Dr Regina Kelly (PI), Dr Eilish McLoughlin and Deirdre O Neill.

Funding: Institute of Physics

2018- 2020 : A Global Approach to the Gender Gap in Mathematical, Computing, and Natural Sciences: How to Measure It, How to Reduce It

Irish Project Team: Dr Regina Kelly and Prof Merrilyn Goos (PI)

Brief Description: Dr Regina Kelly completed Work Package 3, developing a database of good practices that promotes gender diversity in mathematics and science at primary, secondary and tertiary education under the guidance of Prof Merrilyn Goos.

Funding: International Council for Science (300,000 euro).

2018 : STEMChAT Women as catalysts for change in STEM education

Project Team: Sila Kaya, Tracey O Connell, Nichola Keegan, Dr Regina Kelly and Prof Merrilyn Goos.

Brief Description: Outreach initiative to address the serious under-representation of women in the STEM workforce in Ireland by creating new, engaging approaches to providing career information for school students and parents.

Funding: €35,880 Discover Program Call of Science Foundation Ireland

2016-2018 : WiSTEM2D Program Project

Team: (2016) Dr Regina Kelly and Dr Oliver McGarr.

Project team (2017) Dr Regina Kelly, Dr Oliver McGarr and Prof Merrilyn Goos in partnership with Johnson and Johnson.

Brief Description: The project aims to develop high impact strategies for increasing the number of women enrolling in and graduating from STEM2D programs, degrees and graduate level research. Funding: Johnson and Johnson ($100,000 per year).

2016-2017 : STeP into Science Project: Engaging Students, Teachers and Parents in Debates

Project Team: Dr Regina Kelly (Team Lead), Dr Grainne Walshe, Liam Guilfoyle and Prof Sibel Erduran in partnership with Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT). Brief Description: The STeP into Science project aimed to facilitate the teaching and learning of the Irish lower second-level curricular objectives on nature of science, through engaging teachers, students, and guardians in school debate events on socio-scientific issues.

Funding: Science Foundation Ireland (€15,000)

2015 : Investigating the development of 21st Century Skills in an Interdisciplinary Science Module

Brief Description: This project aimed to assess if higher education develops professional life skills that lead to successful science careers.

Project Team: Dr Regina Kelly, Eilish McLoughlin and Odilla Finlayson Funded by CASTeL 

2009-2014: Addressing Student Motivation in Physics: An investigation into the key motivational factors that influence participant performance and attitudes to physics in a first year introductory physics module Project

Team: Dr Regina Kelly, Dr Leah Wallace (Limerick Institute of Technology) and Dr George McClelland (University of Limerick).

Funding: SIF II and Limerick Institute of Technology (€62,644)

Teaching Interests

Undergraduate/ Postgraduate Lecturer

  • SE4034 Introduction to Science Pedagogy (Module Leader)
  • SE4016 Advanced Science (Physics) Pedagogy University of Limerick (Physics Specialist)
  • EN6831 Exploring Science Education (Module Leader) 

Undergraduate/ Postgraduate Tutor

TP4014 School Placement 1 University of Limerick

TP4017 School Placement 2 University of Limerick

EN4033 Planning for Learning University of Limerick 

Introductory Physics Concepts Limerick Institute of Technology

Laboratory Teacher 

Introductory Physics Concepts Limerick Institute of Technology Laboratory 

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 4 - Quality Education
  • SDG 5 - Gender Equality
  • SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production
  • SDG 14 - Life Below Water

External positions

Science Education Project Officer, University of Limerick

16 Jan 2018 → …

Academic Supervisor, Hibernia College

1 Sep 2016 → …

Postdoctoral Researcher (Science Education), Dublin City University

2 Feb 2015 → …

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