Biography
Niamh Ahern graduated from the University of Cape Town in March 2024 with a BA in Music, Psychology, and Afrikaans (with distinction), and has pursued a BA(Hons) in Afrikaans at the same institution.
In her thesis, she explored hauntology, place, and enfreakment in a comparative study of Afrikaans and Appalachian gothic novels, and has additional research interests in the medical humanities, digital humanities, and libraries and archives. She works as an Editorial Assistant at New Contrast and has previously volunteered at a local public library.
She was awarded a Merit Bursary from the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns and the Prof JJ Smith Scholarship from UCT's Afrikaans and Netherlandic Studies Section in support of her Honours degree, and received a Student Leadership Award (Team category) for her work as Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Varsity Newspaper in 2024.
She is an active student leader currently serving as the 2024/2025 Managing Editor of Varsity Newspaper, Social Sciences Director of the African Research Society, Chairperson of the UCT Student Psychiatry Society, and Technical Officer of the UCT Cortex Club. She is a Student Parliament Representative for the Students with Disabilities' Forum and was a member of the UCT Symphony Orchestra during her undergraduate studies.
Outside of these pursuits, she is a writer, musician, therapy dog handler, and occasional ceramicist.
At Oxford, Niamh aims to cultivate expertise in African studies and develop research skills that will enable her to influence public library policy, special collections practice, and African archival integrity.