Dr. Kelly Fincham, a lecturer in Media and Communications at the University of Galway is the former founding editor of IrishCentral.com and has worked extensively in journalism in the US, Ireland and Australia. She was a tenured professor at Hofstra University in New York for a decade before returning to Ireland. Her research explores the intersection of technology and media, with a specific focus on media and information literacy, online gender-based violence, and organisational digital policies. She holds a Research MA (2007) and PhD (2023) from Dublin City University.
Hi!
I teach and research at University of Galway in Ireland in the department of Journalism and Media where we are helping equip students with the media and technology expertise they need to navigate today’s media-saturated world.
Teaching
I teach critical digital and internet literacies to first years; media audience theory and communication design to second years and design thinking to second-year and MA students.
Research
See my research here >>> Google Scholar
Service
Outside the classroom, I have designed and delivered evidence-based training programmes to help first-time women candidates campaign online. Since 2024, my non-partisan initiatives have directly trained 50+ women through strategic partnerships with See Her Elected, the Irish Local Government Association, and a cross-border collaboration with NILGA.
This work is aimed at helping to reshape Ireland’s political landscape – where women currently hold approximately one-quarter ofelected seats at local and national level. Featured in Irish media, the programme bridges academic research and real-world impact while also helping to shape my own teaching.
Philosophy
I am particularly interested in developing teaching approaches that address what Naomi Alderman describes as the “third information crisis”: a moment that poses challenges to society comparable to those introduced by writing and printing. For example, understanding why people continue to believe misinformation—even when they know the facts—is central to responding effectively to this crisis.
Background
I made a mid-career switch from journalism to academia in 20o8 in New York when I joined Hofstra University as a part-time lecturer. I eventually joined full-time and was awarded tenure in 2015. At Hofstra I helped redesign the journalism programme at BA and MA level to include new modules/courses in social media, data journalism and multi-platform storytelling. I also founded their award-winning student news site, Long Island Report which was the fore-runner of the Long Island Advocate. In 2020 and 2018 I helped launch and run the award-winning election night broadcast Hofstra Votes Live
Previous roles
Previous roles in New York included executive director of the Irish charity GOALUSA; executive director of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform; and founding editor of IrishCentral. com, the industry-leading U.S.-based Irish web site.
Journalism roles included Australian Financial Review (Fairfax) and Sydney Telegraph (News International) in Sydney; the Sunday Independent, Irish Independent and Evening Herald in Ireland and the Irish Voice newspaper and Irish America magazine in New York.
In the US, I’ve written about the changes in the media industry and media education for Poynter and Education Shift.
