Alison holds a PhD in International Business from Trinity College Dublin and a master’s degree in public policy from University College Dublin.  She lectures in the areas of International Business and Economic Policy at the Southeast Technological University in Ireland.

Her work lies at the intersection of international business, regional studies and historical research. Her PhD, which focused on the US and European multinationals locating in post-war Northern Ireland after World War Two, reached the final of the 2023 Coleman Prize.

Current interests focus on regional Investment Promotional Agencies (IPAs) in the latter part of the 20th Century and their role in supporting regional economic development.

Coming from a background International Business and Economic Policy she is interested in how to history can inform and support current economic policymaking within the host country and regional spaces.

She has presented at conferences such as the Academy of International Business, the Regional Studies Association, and the Irish Academy of Management. At present she is working on papers for publication in international journals on topics such as policy transfer in a historical context, and regional  IPAs in the post war period in a comparative context. In addition, she is working on a monograph of her dissertation.