Aoife Tierney is a graduate of UCC with a BSc Government degree. During her time in UCC she engaged in leadership roles within many student societies and initiatives to improve student life across the university. As a recipient of an Erasmus+ Scholarship she completed a semester in Waseda University, Japan studying in the Faculty of Political Science and Economics. Aoife gained experience as a Business Development ​
Intern with Social Innovation Fund Ireland and GIY Ireland, both of which focus on sustainability and community development across Ireland. ​

​Aoife joined UCC Academy as part of its inaugural Graduate Programme in July 2020, as a Graduate Project Analyst. She later progressed to Project Officer and contributed to projects with the President’s Office, Cork University Business School, College of Medicine and Health, and APC Microbiome. In February 2023 Aoife relocated to Vancouver, Canada where she worked as a Programme Coordinator with UBC Health, a unit within the University of British Columbia. In this role, she coordinated interdisciplinary health research programmes, facilitated grant competitions, and organised research dissemination events.​

​Aoife rejoined UCC Academy as a Project Officer in July 2025.