Congratulations to our recent ‘Communicating with the Public Scheme’ mentees Dr Eibhlín Walsh and Dr Jennifer Hanratty. Both mentees will receive team-based virtual writing mentorships over a six month period from Dr Claire O’Connell, Science Journalist and Communicator and Hon Prof Derek Stewart, OBE, Patient Advocate.
Dr Eibhlín Walsh
Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Cork
Eibhlín is a postdoctoral researcher working with the National Suicide Research Foundation. Eibhlin’s research interests include youth suicide prevention, bereavement, suicide prevention in applied settings and evidence synthesis methods. In 2024, Eibhlín graduated with a PhD in Psychology from the University of Limerick, which was funded by the National Institute of Studies in Education. Using evidence synthesis and participatory research methods, Eibhlín’s PhD research investigated post-primary, school-based suicide prevention, with a particular focus on youth voice, intervention effectiveness and implementation. Eibhlín’s PhD research has received several recognitions including an Early Career Researcher Development Bursary from the Higher Education Authority in 2023, the 2022 Éabhard O’Callaghan Award for Excellence in Youth Mental Health Research and the 2021 PPI Ignite Network University of Limerick Bursary Award. Eibhlín is also a School, Child, and Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Research Lab (SCYLAB) member and a co-investigator with the COVID-19 Supporting Parents, Adolescents and Children during Epidemics (Co-SPACE) Ireland study which forms part of a European multi-site study.
Dr Jennifer Hanratty
Project Specialist, The Centre for Effective Service
Jennifer is a research psychologist and social innovator with expertise in evaluation and evidence synthesis. She joined CES to be part of its mission to bring evidence into practice to improve lives. Jennifer’s expertise lies in bringing together complex research evidence and translating it for practical applied use. She has led projects covering the maternity and postnatal period, breastfeeding, early childhood, family support, children’s wellbeing, children’s social care, preventing homelessness and determinants of health behaviours. She has acted as senior methodological advisor on evidence synthesis projects for WHO, NIHR, UKRI and the centre of excellence for development impact and learning (CEDIL).
Dr Hanratty has a strong record of funding capture, exceeding €1.5 million to date. She received her PhD in psychology in 2010.
