Lecturer

Email: tom.clonan@tudublin.ie

Profile

Thomas Clonan is an Irish senator, Irish Times security analyst, author, journalist, and retired Irish Army Captain. He was elected to Seanad Eireann in March 2022 in the 2022 Dublin University by-election. Clonan is the chairman of the board of directors for Dogs for the Disabled. He is an advocate for Active Citizenship - in particular for the Rights of Children and Young Adults with Disabilities and their Carers.

Tom is one of Ireland’s foremost Whistleblowers. In 2000, as a serving Captain, his PhD revealed shockingly high levels of systematic gender based discrimination, sexual violence, and sexual assault within Ireland’s armed forces. In 2019, Clonan was finally acknowledged and thanked by the Chief of Staff for his seminal work in challenging the sexist and dysfunctional workplace culture of the Irish Defence Forces.

Tom continues his work to end sexual violence and harassment on our university campuses as an expert member on the advisory group to the Irish Higher Education Authority. He is also a member of the Technological University of Dublin Task Force on Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment at TU Dublin.

Teaching Profile

Tom Clonan teaches several undergraduate courses and post-graduate programmes in the School of Media, TU Dublin. These include the BA in Journalism, BA in Photography, BA in Game Design along with the MA programmes in Journalism, Public Affairs and Political Communication and Public Relations. Clonan’s teaching style is informed by active research and industry practice. Clonan has a special interest in the political economy of communication and ethics. Clonan also supervises research projects to completion at postgraduate and PhD level.