Brendan Mullan traveled to the United States for its opportunities in higher education, and the move brought a stroke of good fortune to the Irishman.
“I got a little bit lucky,” said Mullan, associate professor of sociology in the College of Social Science. “Michigan State University has possibly been the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
A product of Queens University in Northern Ireland, Mullan has first-hand experience with his area of expertise: international migration. He said interest in the topic is on the rise at a regional and national level.
“From the city of Detroit to the federal government, international migration is becoming an increasingly important issue to policy makers,” Mullan said. “It’s a highly-politicized topic. As a society, we need to understand it better.”
Mullan was drawn to MSU for its international focus. He enjoys leading study abroad trips in Greece and Turkey and applying a worldwide perspective to his research and teaching.
“I resonate very strongly with President Simon’s world grant mission,” Mullan said. “I know it’s my responsibility as a faculty member at MSU to have my work incite global change.”
Mullan credited his coworkers with making his job an enjoyable experience. He said they are a primary reason he has gotten what he was hoping for out of his time in the Department of Sociology.
“I’ve had overwhelming collegial and departmental support,” Mullan said. “I’m very appreciative of my colleagues and my whole experience at Michigan State.”