Dr Eva García Albarrán
Dr García Albarrán holds a BSc (Hons) in Psychology from Salamanca University (Spain), a Master’s in Behavioural Therapy from UNED (Spain), and a PhD from Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, with a thesis entitled: An Exploratory Study Examining the Inclusion of Children with Autism in Primary Schools in Ireland. She is currently undertaking a Master’s in Clinical Neuropsychology (VIU), Spain.
Prior to her current academic role, Dr García Albarrán held positions as occasional guest lecturer at Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin (2017 & 2023). She contributed to higher education as a Postdoctoral Researcher and Graduate Teaching Assistant at Trinity College Dublin. In addition, Dr Garcia-Albarran gained extensive experience in clinical research within the pharmaceutical industry, holding positions such as Clinical Research Project Manager and Senior Clinical Research Associate at several organisations.
At IADT, Dr García Albarrán contributes extensively to teaching and research, supporting psychological education within a creative and technological learning environment. She brings extensive expertise in inclusive education with autistic children and neuroscience (cognitive psychology, Biological psychology, and neuropsychology) to her role at IADT, where she supervises research and teaches modules in these subject areas. Dr García Albarrán serves on various institutional committees that support academic and educational initiatives. She is also a member of the Editorial Board of the IADT Journal of Research + Creativity (IJRC).
Research Profile
Dr García Albarrán employs qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate cognitive processes such as memory, perception, and attention, as well as inclusive education and research with autistic children. Her research makes a significant contribution to applied psychology and educational policy discourse in Ireland.
In her PhD thesis: An Exploratory Study Examining the Inclusion of Children with Autism in Primary Schools in Ireland. Dr García Albarrán highlighted the practicalities of including autistic children in the early years of regular primary schools in Ireland. The research provided a close perspective on the interactions among education actors while also applying a systemic frame by including three different school settings (classroom, playground and support classroom). This novel approach outlined the importance of interactions, support and participation in enabling the inclusion of autistic children in the early years of primary school.
Conferences
Dr García Albarrán has presented at various conferences at Trinity College Dublin between 2013 and 2023.
Other conference presentations include
· The European Conference on Educational Research (ECER), Network 4, in 2020.
· The 14th Autism Europe International Congress, Ireland, in 2025. Organized by Autism Europe & AsIAm.
Publications
García Albarrán, E., García Iriarte, E., & Gilligan, R. (2024). Central or peripheral? Uneven Inclusion of Children with Autism in the Early Years of Primary School in Ireland. Pedagogia i Treball Social.Universitat de Girona, Pedagogia i Treball Socia,13(1), 24-33.
Joe Whelan; Eva Garcia Albarran, Walking, thinking, and talking. An exploration of the lived experiences and hidden geographies of poverty using walking as a participatory arts methodology., Dublin, School of Social Work & Social Policy, TCD, October 2023.
Dr García Albarrán work contributes towards the following SDG(s):1- No poverty; 4 – Quality Education, 10 – Reduce Inequality.