Staff Profiles

Dr Therese Conway

BA.,MA.,PhD

Contact Details

Lecturer Above The Bar
School of Geography &
Archaeology
University of Galway
E: therese.conway@universityofgalway.ie

Biography

Current positions:
Lecturer: School of Geography and Archaeology, NUI Galway
Programme Director: MA Rural Futures Planning and Innovation/ MA Planning and Development
PI: ATLANTIC_SUNSET

Research Team Member: FLIARA

General research Profile:
Therese is a lecturer in Geography and a Programme Director of the MA Planning and Development. Which is an SCSI/RICS professionally accredited programme. Dr Conway was the lead University of Galway staff member in securing this accreditation in June 2023.

Over the last number of years, Dr. Conway has positioned her research agenda with a focus on the concepts of networks and networking, and in particular their role in development, including studies that engage with their role in tourism, ecotourism, community development (communities of practice) and spatial planning more generally. Recently Therese has secured finding for projects that examine Dark Sky and Sunlight tourism extending her expertise in niche tourism planning and development.

In 2015-2016 Therese was postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Technology Tralee in the UNESCO Chair research centre.

Dr Conway holds a primary degree in Geography and Sociology in University College Cork and a Masters in Planning and Sustainable Development also at UCC (RTPI and IPI Accredited).

Following a short planning career Therese commenced her PhD at NUI Galway having been award a scholarship through PRTLI4, as part of the Irish Social Sciences Platform (ISSP) and the Whitaker Institute (NUI Galway), Programme of research.

Research Interests

Dr Conways research focuses on tourism destination planning and development with particular emphasis on alternative tourism forms such as ecotourism. Therese also has a specific interest in the role of networks and networking in rural tourism promotion and development. She is currently engaged in research relating to the valorization of sunsets across Europe, as a sustainable and niche tourism resource (ATLANTIC SUNSET) and also in the role of social capital in ecotourism promotion and the definition of ecotourism in developed world locations.

Dr Conway has previously worked as a postdoctoral researcher on an EU Northern Peripheries and Arctic Programme project BUSK (Building Shared Knowledge Capital). This project explored peripheral livelihoods and land uses dependent on natural resources, associated issues of contested management and planning, and the development of innovative solutions to policy and planning for their long-term sustainability.

Therese has also worked as a postdoctoral researcher on a four partner consortium that was awarded the contract to run the National Rural Network in Ireland (NRN) for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The NRN is a support body for the successful implementation of the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020. NUI Galway is the lead research partner. The NRN engaged in a practical way with networking key stakeholders and communities within the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.

Strategically, being involved in the NRN allowed Therese to apply her academic and practical knowledge of networks to research on the RDP process with a particular focus on the LEADER Programme, Farm Viability and European Innovation Partnerships. Involvement here also assisted with Dr Conway's research agenda in terms of the development of networks and the contribution that collaborative and communicative structures and processes make to long-term and sustainable planning for both community and rural development.

Her PhD research, supervised by Emeritus Professor Mary Cawley, funded through the PRTLI4 as part of the ISSP and the Whitaker Institute programme of research.

Therese is a member of the Rural Studies and Planning and Sustainable Development Research Clusters in Geography and the Whitaker Institute.

Research Projects

Project	Start Date	End Date
Atlantic_Sunset	01-JUN-23	30-MAY-26
ENNET: ENdogenous NETworks; exploring social capital and bottom up development in rural tourism	01-AUG-19	31-DEC-22
Ruralization	01-MAY-19
NRN	01-SEP-16
BUSK	01-JUN-15	01-DEC-19

Peer Reviewed Journals

	Year	Publication
	(2020)	'Geography graduates’ professional socialisation and identity development through service learning' Mahon, M., Conway, T., Farrell, M., McDonagh, J. (2020) 'Geography graduates’ professional socialisation and identity development through service learning'. The All Ireland Journal of Teaching & Learning in Higher Education, 12 (1) [Details]
	(2020)	'Geography graduates’ professional socialisation and identity development through service learning' M, Marie, T Conway, M Farrell, and J McDonagh (2020) 'Geography graduates’ professional socialisation and identity development through service learning'. AISHE-J: The All Ireland Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 12 (1) [Details]
	(2017)	''Defining ecotourism: evidence of provider perspectives in an emerging area'' Conway, T. and Cawley, M (2017) ''Defining ecotourism: evidence of provider perspectives in an emerging area''. Journal of Ecotourism, 15 (2):122-138 [Details]
	(2016)	'Defining ecotourism: evidence of provider perspectives in an emerging area' Conway, T., Cawley, M. (2016) 'Defining ecotourism: evidence of provider perspectives in an emerging area'. Journal of Ecotourism, 15 (2):122-138 [DOI] [Details]
	(2012)	'Organizational networking in an emerging ecotourism destination' Conway, T. and Cawley, M. (2012) 'Organizational networking in an emerging ecotourism destination'. Tourism Planning & Development, 9 (4):397-409 [Details]

Books

	Year	Publication
	(2003)	Tread softly in the dark. In Dunn, N., and Edensor, T. (Eds) Dark Skies; Places, Practices, Communities. pp. 205-216. Macmillan, G., Dalgleish, H., Conway, T., Mahon, M. (2003) Tread softly in the dark. In Dunn, N., and Edensor, T. (Eds) Dark Skies; Places, Practices, Communities. pp. 205-216. London: Routledge. [DOI] [Details]

Book Chapters

	Year	Publication
	(2023)	'Tread Softly in the Dark' Macmillan, G., Dalgleish, H., Conway, T., Mahon, M. (2023) 'Tread Softly in the Dark' In: Dark Skies: Places, Practices, Communities. :205-216 London-: Routledge. [DOI] [Details]
	(2021)	'Ecotourism in Ireland: Thinking outside of the Greenbox' Conway, T (2021) 'Ecotourism in Ireland: Thinking outside of the Greenbox' In: Treasure Island. The¿history¿of ecotourism in the European islands¿. Venice: Ca' Foscari University¿Press. [Details]
	(2020)	'‘Nothing is sustainable the way it is’: Reflections on local sustainability perceptions and interpretations' McDonagh, J., Ólafsdóttir, R., Weir, L., Mahon, M., Farrell, M. and Conway, T. (2020) '‘Nothing is sustainable the way it is’: Reflections on local sustainability perceptions and interpretations' In: Sharing Knowledge for Land Use Management: Decision-making and Expertise in Europe's Northern Periphery. UK: Edward Elgar Publishers. [Details]
	(2020)	'‘There’s no transfer of knowledge, it’s all one way’: the importance of integrating local knowledge and fostering knowledge sharing practices in natural resource utilisation' McDonagh, J., Ólafsdóttir, R., Weir, L., Mahon, M., Farrell, M. and Conway, T. (2020) '‘There’s no transfer of knowledge, it’s all one way’: the importance of integrating local knowledge and fostering knowledge sharing practices in natural resource utilisation' In: Sharing Knowledge for Land Use Management: Decision-making and Expertise in Europe's Northern Periphery. UK: Edward Elgar Publishers. [Details]
	(2016)	'Endogenous resource use and ecotourism development' Conway, T., Cawley, M. (2016) 'Endogenous resource use and ecotourism development' In: Re-inventing Rural Tourism Through Co-creative and Sustainable Tourist Experiences. Newcastle-Upon-Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Press. [Details]
	(2013)	'Networks in rural tourism' Conway T (2013) 'Networks in rural tourism' In: The Sustainability of Rural Systems: global and local challenges and opportunities, Commission on the Sustainability of Rural Systems of the IGU. Galway: Galway: IGU and Whitaker Institute, NUI Galway. [Details]

Conference Publications

	Year	Publication
	(2016)	*Landscape Values: Place and Praxis* Conway, T.; Cawley, M. (2016) Ecotourism and ecolabels in landscape protection: a critical appraisal of a governance mechanism . In: Collins, T., Kindermann, G., Newman, C., Cronin, N eds. Landscape Values: Place and Praxis NUI Galway, , 29-JUN-16 - 02-JUL-16 , pp.77-80 [Details]
	(2014)	*CELT Annual Conference 2014* Cawley, M., Conway, T., Kanakis, D., McGinley, S. (2014) Knowing, acting, being in engaging the curriculum: evaluating the Tourism Area Life Cycle Model in Salthill CELT Annual Conference 2014 [Details]
	(2015)	*9th Annual Tourism and Hospitality Research in Ireland Conference (THRIC) 2013, 6-7th June, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology* Conway, T. and Cawley, M. (2015) Perspectives on ecotourism: examining tourism provider understandings [accessible on-line] 9th Annual Tourism and Hospitality Research in Ireland Conference (THRIC) 2013, 6-7th June, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology , pp.1-14 [Details]
	(2013)	*THRIC* Conway, T. and Cawley, M. (2013) Perspectives on ecotourism: tourism provider understandings THRIC [Details]
	(2013)	*International Conference on Rural Tourism, University of Alveiro, Portugal* Conway, T. and Cawley, M. (2013) Experience design in ecotourism: endogenous resource use International Conference on Rural Tourism, University of Alveiro, Portugal University of Alveiro, Portugal, , 05-SEP-13 - 07-SEP-13 [Details]
	(2013)	*Annual Tourism and Hospitality Research in Ireland Conference* Conway, T. and Cawley, M. (2013) Perspectives on ecotourism: an analysis of tourism provider understandings Annual Tourism and Hospitality Research in Ireland Conference GMIT Galway, , 06-JUN-13 - 07-JUN-13 [Details]
	(2013)	*Reinventing rural tourism and the rural tourism experience* Conway, T., Cawley, M. (2013) Experience design in ecotourism: endogenous resource use Reinventing rural tourism and the rural tourism experience University of Aveiro, Portugal, , 05-SEP-13 - 07-SEP-13 [Details]
	(2013)	*Annual Tourism and Hospitality Research in Ireland Conference* Conway, T., Cawley, M. (2013) Perspectives on ecotourism: an analysis of tourism provider understandings Annual Tourism and Hospitality Research in Ireland Conference GMIT, Galway, , 06-JUN-13 - 07-JUN-13 [Details]
	(2012)	*Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers* Conway, T., Cawley, M. (2012) Organisational networking in an emerging ecotourism destination Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers New York, , 26-FEB-12 - 29-FEB-12 [Details]
	(2012)	*Annual Conference, Association of American Geographers* Conway, T., Cawley, M (2012) Organisational networking in an emerging ecotourism destination. Annual Conference of the Association of American Geographers, New York, 28 February 2012 Annual Conference, Association of American Geographers , 27-FEB-12 - 02-MAR-12 [Details]
	(2011)	*19th Annual Colloquium of the International Geographical Union Commission on the Sustainability of Rural Systems, NUI Galway 1-7 August 2011* Conway, T., Cawley, M. (2011) Networking in ecotourism 19th Annual Colloquium of the International Geographical Union Commission on the Sustainability of Rural Systems, NUI Galway 1-7 August 2011 NUI Galway, , 01-AUG-11 - 07-AUG-11 [Details]
	(2013)	*19th Annual Colloquium of the Commission on the Sustainability of Rural Systems of the IGU* Conway, T. (2013) Networks in rural tourism . In: Mary Cawley, Ana Maria Bicalho, Lucette Laurens eds. 19th Annual Colloquium of the Commission on the Sustainability of Rural Systems of the IGU Galway: IGU and Whitaker Institute, NUI Galway, , pp.252-261 [Details]

Published Reports

	Year	Publication
	(2023)	D 1.2: Women-Led Innovation Research Review. Farrell, M. McGuinness, N., Weir, L. Conway, T., Mahon, M., Nolan, N. Garces Ortiz S., and Holloway, L. (2023) D 1.2: Women-Led Innovation Research Review. EU Commission, Brussels. [Details]
	(2020)	Assessment Framework. RURALIZATION Deliverable 3.1. Murtagh, A., Farrell, M., Mahon, M., McDonagh, J., Conway, T., Conway, S. and Korthals Altes, W. (2020) Assessment Framework. RURALIZATION Deliverable 3.1. EU Commission, EU Commission. [Details]
	(2020)	Detailed Conceptual Guidelines. RURALIZATION Deliverable 3.2. Murtagh, A., Farrell, M., Mahon, M., McDonagh, J., Conway, T. and Conway, S. (2020) Detailed Conceptual Guidelines. RURALIZATION Deliverable 3.2. EU Commission, EU Commission. [Details]
	(2020)	Review Report and Fact Sheets based on previous European projects. RURALIZATION Deliverable 3.3. Murtagh, A., Farrell, M., Mahon, M., McDonagh, J., Keenaghan, N., Conway, T. and Conway, S. (2020) Review Report and Fact Sheets based on previous European projects. RURALIZATION Deliverable 3.3. European Network for Rural Development, EU Commission. [Details]
	(2016)	(2016) Project Sport Inclusion ET Innovation, Siene Saint Denis (Full report in French only. Further information available at: https://inta-aivn.org/en/activities/advice/peer-to-peer-panels/2016-sport-handicap-cd93-en). Rapport Du Panel de I’INTA (2016) (2016) Project Sport Inclusion ET Innovation, Siene Saint Denis (Full report in French only. Further information available at: https://inta-aivn.org/en/activities/advice/peer-to-peer-panels/2016-sport-handicap-cd93-en). INTA, Paris. [Details]
	(2016)	Meeting Report of the Expert Panel, Lausanne, Switzerland (May 2016). Global Active Cities Development (2016) Meeting Report of the Expert Panel, Lausanne, Switzerland (May 2016). Evaleo, Switzerland. [Details]

	Year	Publication
	(2017)	NRN LEADER Newsletter. Farrell, M., Conway, T., (2017) NRN LEADER Newsletter. Newsletter [Details]

Honours and Awards

Year	Title	Awarding Body
2020	The President’s Awards for Teaching Excellence	NUI Galway
2019	The President's Award for Societal Impact	NUI Galway
2013	Best Paper Award	THRIC Tourism and Hospitality Research in Ireland Annual Conference
2010	PhD Fellowship	Higher Education Authority, through the 4th Programme of Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI4)

Professional Associations

	Association	Function	From / To
	RTPI	Accredited Planning MA	/
	IPI	Accredited Planning Qualification	/

Community Engagement

	Title	Type	From / To
	Teaching (e.g. Service learning / comunity based learning)	Service Learning Moate Co West Meath	/

Reviews

	Journal	Role
	Journal of Ecotourism	Reviewer
	Journal Of Rural Studies	Reviewer
	Anatolia: an International Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Research	Reviewer

Teaching Interests

Since 2009 Dr Conway has been engaged in third level teaching and learning. During this time her teaching portfolio has expanded to encompass the design, coordination and delivery of MA modules in service learning, rural development, and rural tourism, and extensive undergraduate teaching in core subjects and specialist research areas.

Dr Conway's teaching experience in Geography at NUI Galway relates to designing and coordinating courses for classes of 100+ students, coordinating modules and conducting the associated teaching for a fourth level MA group (10 students), and engaging in a number of team taught modules across the discipline for classes in excess of 200.

Recent Postgraduate Students

Graduation	Name	Primary Supervisor
2017	Julie Brennan	Y
2020	Martina Calvey
2020	Niamh McGuinness
2023	Patrick McGarry
2015	Gabrielle Kane	Y
2015	Ciara Lynch	Y
2015	Sarah Philips

Current Postgraduate Students (Research)

Student	Degree Type	Type
Georgia Macmillan	Doctorate - Structured Ph.D. in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences	Supervisor
Fatemeh Zamani Alavijeh	Doctorate - Structured Ph.D. in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences	Co-supervisor (1)
Komang Trisna Pratiwi Arcana	Doctorate - Structured Ph.D. in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences	Supervisor

Modules Taught

Term/Year	Module Title	Module Code
2020	Research Seminar in Rural Planning	TI 3118
2020	Research Seminar in Tourism	TI3119
2019	Professional Skills and Pathways	BSS 3100
2009, 2020	Critical Skills for Social Scientists	BSS 2101
2019,2020	Cooperative Learning and Group Research Methods (International Fieldtrip Module)	BS2101
2014	Theory and Practice in Geography	TI 251
2015	Research Methodologies	TI 507
2015	Research Project Design and Development	TI 335
2017, 2018, 2019	Introduction to the Social Sciences	BSS1101
2014	Rural Field-Based and Service Learning	TI 504
2015	The Multifunctional Countryside	TI 506
2015	Tourism Geographies	TI 226

Internal Collaborators

	Name	Description of Collaboration
	PAZOS OTON MIGUEL
	Jose Maria Martin Olalla
	Dr Marie Mahon
	Dr Maura Farrell

External Collaborators

Name	Organisation / Institute	Country
Quentin Brouard-Sala	University of Angers	FRANCE
Xurxo Cegarra	Wireless Galicia	SPAIN
LOIS GONZALEZ RUBEN CAMILO	University de Santiago de Compostela	SPAIN
MIRA PEREZ JORGE	University de Santiago de Compostela	SPAIN