In her current role, Marie is researching issues of social justice with particular reference to “race” and ethnicity. Before having an academic career in the UK, she taught in Bermuda, Canada and Australia where she obtained practical knowledge of children from culturally diverse backgrounds.

She is the author of over 100 publications including books, reports and journal articles. Her research has included study of the expansion of religious schools, and in her consultancy capacity, she has provided workshops on such subjects as citizenship, community and identity. She has taught in five universities before coming to Limerick, and her current research is concerned with responding to diversity within the Irish context.