Dr. Alan Kearns

Dr Alan J. Kearns is Assistant Professor of Ethics at DCU's School of Theology, Philosophy, and Music. He originally trained as a second-level teacher and taught English at the Fachsprachenzentrum, University of Tübingen in Germany. His PhD thesis, which examined the concept of person in health care ethics, was the first doctorate to be presented and defended in the then newly established School of Nursing at DCU.

Alan has taught Business Ethics at Milltown Institute of Philosophy and Theology, Dublin and at DCU Business School. He has also taught Nursing Ethcs at Beaumont Hospital, and Philosophy & Ethics at the School of Nursing, DCU.

Alan joined the academic staff of Mater Dei Institute of Education in 2005. Dursing his time there, he was the lead developer for the MA in Ethics programme. He was the Chair of the college's Research Ethics Committee from 2009 to 2016.

Presently, Alan teaches a number of introductory ethics modules as well as applied/practical ethics modules in the area of bioethics and other contemporary topics.

Alan was the Programme Chair of the MA in Ethics and the MA in Ethics (Corporate Responsibility) programmes from 2010 to 2025. He was also the School of Theology, Philosophy, and Music's Teaching & Learning Convenor from 2016 to 2021.

Presently, Alan is a Member of the DCU Institute of Ethics, the Chair of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee (HSS F-REC), Deputy Head of the School of Theology, Philosophy, and Music, and the School's Research Ethics Convenor.