Profile

Noel’s research interests are broadly spread across three areas: legal education, terrorism, and public/constitutional law.

Noel’s legal education scholarship focuses on investigating student wellbeing at university. Noel (with colleagues Dr Laura Hughes-Gerber and Dr Rafael Savva) has written a number of forthcoming papers on embedding inclusivity in a law curriculum by developing a set of curriculum design principles to support student wellbeing. This research has been undertaken against the contemporary context of changes in the routes to professional legal qualification, and the consequences of the pandemic on higher education. Currently, this project is undertaking empirical research involving law students to begin identifying and understanding contemporary student wellbeing needs at university.

Noel’s terrorism research focuses on the relationship between terrorism, counterterrorism and human rights law. He is particularly interested in analysing legal responses to terrorism that have been adopted by various countries to assist in managing the prevailing threat of terrorism. Noel’s first monograph was published in February 2021 (in hardback) and August 2022 (in softback) which is titled: ‘Terrorist Profiling and Law Enforcement: Detection, Prevention and Deterrence’. This work examines the use of profiling methods and techniques by law enforcement officers in the prevention, detection and prosecution of those engaged in terrorism and/or its associated preparatory activities.

Noel also has an interest in public/constitutional law. He joined the editorial team of Prof Michael Doherty’s textbook ‘Public Law’ now in its 3^rd edition. Noel is also currently working on two chapters on constitutional issues raised by public emergencies due for publication in an edited collection forthcoming in 2025 titled ‘Citizens, the State and Justice’. These chapters focus on the evolving and dynamic nature of the right to protest as well as examining the exceptionality of ‘terrorism’ as an excuse by the state to limit fundamental rights.