Anne Matthews
After working in Malawi, I returned to Ireland 21 years ago and have been working in DCU since then. I love my job! I have grown and developed so many new areas and interests, and have never been bored.
One main focus of my work has been the BSc Health & Society, which my colleague Mark Philbin and I developed in 2010. We love it as much now as then. Both nurses, we saw a need for a broad interdisciplinary course that enabled students to make sense of health issues and challenges, and to act to improve health and society.
The path to becoming a professor
When I left school, I only wanted to be a nurse and midwife so that is what I did first. I went on to do a full-time degree in social science in UCD, then a Masters in Social Policy & Planning at the London School of Economics and Political Science and then completed my PhD from DCU..
After further work in Social Policy at UCD, I moved to Malawi on a two-year volunteer posting at the Centre for Social Research of the University of Malawi. This changed my life and work. I was involved with lots of different social and health research projects, always working in great teams and learning lots as I went along.
Do what you love
Do what you love and what you enjoy. Try lots of things in order to find that passion. Our BSc Health and Society graduates have followed so many different amazing paths. It's true what they say about DCU: when it comes to our programme, you can go anywhere from here!
Anne Matthews
Full Professor of Nursing, School of Nursing, Psychotherapy and Community Health
Programme Chair, BSc Health and Society 2019-2022