Ann Marie’s research interests include social care, devolution and social policy, and gender and social policy.  Her publications include two co-authored books published by Policy Press: Transforming Adult Social Care: contemporary policy and practice (2013) and Delivering Social Welfare: governance and service provision in the UK (2016); articles in key journals including Social Policy and Society, Critical Social Policy and Public Policy and Administration and research outputs directed at a wider audience. She has secured £1.8m in funding from research organisations including the ESRC, The Nuffield Foundation, government departments and NGOS.

Ann Marie has worked closely with external organisations to increase the accessibility and impact of academic data through the publication of policy briefs, evidence reviews and research updates.  She represents Ulster University on the Knowledge Exchange Seminar Series (KESS) panel, an initiative partnering the Northern Ireland Assembly Research Service and the Universities in Northern Ireland to promote evidence informed policy making. Between 2012 and 2016 she was a member of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation Anti-Poverty Strategy Taskgroup. She has worked with the Open Society Institute as an International Scholar working with universities in Moldova and Azerbaijan to support the development of Social Policy and Social Work research and teaching programmes.

She is also vice chair of the UK Social Policy Association and is chair of Youth Action Northern Ireland. She is a member of the ESRC Peer Review College.