School of Public Health Newsletter

SoPH News - Winter 2024

Welcome to the Winter 2024 edition of SoPH News - The School of Public Health (SoPH) e-newsletter, which has been ‘wrapped in a new coat’.

This Newsletter showcases our School's tremendous achievements in teaching, research and civic and community engagement over the past few months.

Editor: Sofia Bettella

Click on the image below to access our latest issue!

 

SPH News - Summer 2022

We are delighted to issue our Summer Newsletter which covers an impressive number of outputs, achievements and new initiatives!

This is the School's first newsletter under the leadership of Professor Ella Arensman and you can find out more about our School, Staff and Students by clicking on the link below.

SPH News Summer 2022 No 29

Ana Contreras Navarro, Editor 

  • SPH News - Spring 2022

    03 May 2022
    SPH News - Spring 2022

    As we near the end of a very busy and productive 2021/2022 academic year, we are delighted to bring you updates about the School's most recent achievements, our research publications, introduce you to new staff members and let you know about both past and upcoming events. 

    To find out more about our School, Staff and Students, just click on the link below to view our Spring Newsletter.

    SPH News - Spring 2022

    Dr Ana Contreras Navarro, Editor

    Read more
  • School of Public Health Newsletter - Winter 2022

    31 Jan 2022
    School of Public Health Newsletter - Winter 2022

    A new year has commenced and we are delighted to bring you updates about the School's latest achievements, our recent research publications, introduce you to new staff members and let you know about both past and upcoming events. 

    To find out more about our School, Staff and Students, just click on the link below to view our Winter Newsletter.

    School of Public Health Newsletter - Winter 2022

    Dr Ana Contreras Navarro, Editor

    Read more

Autumn 2021

Welcome to the Autumn 2021 edition of SPH News.

The School has had a busy and eventful Summer and start of term and there is much to celebrate as we embark on a new academic year.

I am very grateful to all our staff for their commitment to the core work of the school, despite the ongoing challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, and it is great to see our students again in the Western Gateway Building, albeit behind masks!

I am delighted to welcome a new Editor of SPH News, Dr Ana Contreras Navarro. Ana works in Public Health Nutrition and Food Policy and she joined the School in July 2021 as a Postdoctoral Researcher working on an EU Joint Action funded project (Best-ReMaP). I am very grateful to Ana for taking on the role of Editor of SPH News. The Newsletter plays an important role in promoting the vision, work and ethos of the School and I know that all of our colleagues wish Ana well in this challenging role.

SPH News is published quarterly and please send comments, queries or submissions for our next Newsletter to Ana at acontrerasnavarro@ucc.ie.

To view our Autumn Newsletter, please click on the link below.

School of Public Health Newsletter - Autumn 2021

Professor Ivan Perry, Dean of the School of Public Health

________________________________________________________________________________________

EPI News - Issue 21

Dear Colleagues,


We are delighted to share with you issue 21 of EPINews. Firstly, we would like to extend a massive thank you to Niamh McGrath and Emmy Racine, whom over the past two years did a magnificent job in delivering many successful EPINews issues. Well done to you both, your hard work and effort hasn’t gone unnoticed. The past month has been a busy but very successful one for the School of Public Health, which saw the school host the joint Society for Social Medicine & Population health and International Epidemiology Association Conference. The conference attracted over 300 delegates from around the world, and the annual SSM pre-conference early career researchers’ event also proved a major success, with almost 70 ECRs in attendance on the day, the largest attendance at a SSM pre-conference event to date. We extend our congratulations and thanks to everyone involved in organising all aspects of the conference, it’s clear that all the hard-work and long hours paid off. The success of the conference is just one of the many achievements over the past months, as highlighted in this “bumper edition of the EPInews!

We hope you enjoy reading this edition and as always, we encourage you to circulate EPINews among your colleagues and direct any queries or comments to charlotte.griffin@ucc.ie or holly.mcgrath@ucc.ie  

Ms Charlotte Griffin and Ms Holly McGrath

 

 

EpiNews 21

Dear Colleagues,


Welcome to the 20th issue of EPINews. It is hard to believe that summer is upon us again. It has been a very busy few months in the School and this issue highlights and celebrates our latest activities and achievements.


Congratulations to Prof Ivan Perry on being elected to the Royal Irish Academy. For more information, go to page 2. Preparations are well underway for the organisation of the Joint Society for Social Medicine and Population Health 63rd Annual Scientific Meeting and European Congress of Epidemiology Meeting which will be held in UCC from the 4th-6th of September. Early career researchers in the school are also busy organising the Early Career Researchers Event which will also be held in UCC on the day preceding the conference (Tueday 3rd of September). For more information on both these events, go to page 7 & 8.


I hope you enjoy this issue and as always, I would encourage you to circulate EPINews among your colleagues and direct any queries or comments to me at emmy.racine@ucc.ie or to Niamh at Niamh.mcgrath@ucc.ie.


Ms Emmy Racine and Ms Niamh Mc Grath

 

EPINews Issue 20

 

Dear Colleagues,

 

We are delighted to share with you issue 19 of EPINews. A very special thank you on behalf of Emmy and I to two transition year students, Ms Emillie Good and Ms Lauren McCourt who worked hard collating the initial draft of this 19th issue of the EPINews during their transition year placement in the School. We think they did a stellar job and are sure you will agree! Since the last issue, two of our outstanding PhD students, Ms Gillian Maher and Ms Emmy Racine won prizes for their research; Gillian won the Pfizer‐SRI President’s Presenter’s Award at the Society for Reproductive Investigation 66th Annual Scientific Meeting and Emmy won the best poster prize at the 5th Annual SPHeRE (Structured Population and Health-services Research Education) Network Conference. Massive congratulations to you both! In this issue, we wish the CHErIsH (Choosing Healthy Eating for Infant Health) study researchers well in the next phase of their research following the launch of their feasibility study at the Mallow Primary Healthcare Centre earlier this month, showcase the School’s represententation at the SPHeRE Network Conference which was on the topic of ‘Getting Research Into Policy and Practice’, update the Schools’ preparations for the joint Society for Social Medicine & Population health and International Epidemiology Association Conference and much more!

 

We hope you enjoy reading this edition and as always, we encourage you to circulate EPINews among your colleagues and direct any queries or comments to Niamh.mcrath@ucc.ie or emmy.racine@ucc.ie.

 

Ms Niamh McGrath and Ms Emmy Racine

 

EPINews Issue 19

 

 

Dear Colleagues,

 

Happy New Year! We hope you had a lovely Christmas and welcome you to enjoy the 18th issue of EPINews. This issue brings 2018 to a close and is full of research updates, events, and highlights from the last quarter of the year.
On page 2 of this issue, Dr Zubair Kabir reflects on UCC’s international rankings and his new mantra of ‘low budget and high impact research’. On page 6, the BSc in Public Health Sciences is in the spotlight and on page, we have included some highlights from the Schools’ inaugural Cameron Lecture. A special congratulations to Ms. Eunice Phillip on winning the Jacqueline Horgan Bronze Medal Award and also to Dr Maura Smiddy, Dr Ailbhe Spillane, Dr Fiona Riordan, Dr Caragh Flannery, Dr Caroline Hurley and Dr Kate O’Neill on successfully defending their PhD theses. We wish them the very best of luck in their future careers!
I hope you enjoy this issue and as always, I would encourage you to circulate EPINews among your colleagues and direct any queries or comments to me at emmy.racine@ucc.ie or to Niamh at niamh.mcgrath@ucc.ie.


Best wishes,
Emmy Racine and Niamh McGrath.

 

EPINews Issue 18

 

Dear Colleagues,


Welcome to the 17th issue of EPINews. In June, the European Congress of Epidemiology held their annual conference which was well represented by members from the School of Public Health. The theme of this year’s meeting was “Crises, epidemiological transitions and the role of epidemiologists”. The meeting will be held in Cork next year, alongside the Society for Social Medicine Annual Conference. Since the last issue, there has been a large influx of new faces to the School and to the National Suicide Research Foundation. We are delighted to extend a warm welcome to all the new recruits.


This issue is once again packed full with news, research updates, events and training opportunities and as always, I would encourage you to circulate EPINews among your colleagues and direct any queries or comments to me at Niamh.mcgrath@ucc.ie or to Emmy at emmy.racine@ucc.ie.

Ms. Niamh McGrath and Ms. Emmy Racine

 

EPI News Issue 17

Dear Colleagues,


Welcome to the 16th issue of EPINews. Summer is upon us and it has been a very busy few months in the School. This issue is packed to the brim with research updates, events, and exciting training opportunities.
Since the last issue, many colleagues have attended national and international conferences. The school has been well represented in Canada with Dr. Karen Matvienko-Sikar and Ms. Ailbhe Spillane presenting their work in Montreal and Alberta respectively. We are also delighted to congratulate Ms Emily Lynch on her new position as Programmes Administrator with the school. Best of luck Emily!


I hope you enjoy this issue and as always, I would encourage you to circulate EPINews among your colleagues and direct any queries or comments to me at emmy.racine@ucc.ie or to Niamh at Niamh.mcgrath@ucc.ie.

Ms Emmy Racine and Ms Niamh Mc Grath

 

EPINews Issue 16

EPINews Issue 15

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to the 15th issue of EPINews. In January, the SPHeRE Network held their Annual Meeting at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin and the School was very well represented with 6 oral and 7 poster presentations. The theme of this year’s meeting was ‘The Value of Patient and Public Involvement in Research, Healthcare and Health Planning’ and many of our staff and students were present to showcase their research in various areas ranging from experiences of implementing patient and public involvement in research to diabetes care.

Since the last issue, there have been many changes to the school. We are delighted to welcome Declan Whelan-Curtin back to the School of Public Health in his new role as School Manager. We are sad to say goodbye to Caroline Hurley and wish her well in her new position. Congratulations are in order for Dr Marsha Tracey who graduated from her PhD which studied the public health burden of diabetes in Ireland.

This issue is once again packed full with news, research updates, events and training opportunities and as always, I would encourage you to circulate EPINews among your colleagues and direct any queries or comments to me at Niamh.mcgrath@ucc.ie or to Emmy at emmy.racine@ucc.ie.  

Ms. Niamh McGrath and Ms Emmy Racine

 

EPINews Issue 15

EPINews Issue 14

Dear Colleagues,


This issue of the EPINews brings 2017 to a close. The year finished on a high with the launch of the School of Public Health, the culmination of Prof Ivan Perry’s tireless leadership and vision over the last 20 years. An event, meticulously organised by Ms Vicky Murphy, PA to Prof Perry, was held in the Aula Maxima, UCC, to mark the occasion. This issue contains details and photos of the momentous day.


Since the last issue, SPHeRE Scholar Emily Kelleher has successfully defended her PhD thesis “The implementation of a family-focused lifestyle programme for managing obesity in the community setting in Ireland”. We wish Dr Kelleher the very best in her future career.


Please circulate the EPINews among your colleagues and direct any queries or comments to me at r.dennehy@ucc.ie
Rebecca Dennehy

 

EPI News Issue 14

EpiNews Issue 13

Dear Colleagues,


This issue is once again packed full with news and updates. Well done to Ms Emily Kelleher who recently submitted her PhD entitled “The implementation of a family-focused lifestyle programme for managing obesity in the community setting in Ireland”.


This month marked the end of an era and an exciting new beginning as we welcomed the establishment of the new School of Public Health. The official launch of the School will take place in UCC on November 22nd. Please contact Ms Vicky Murphy for more information.


I encourage you to circulate the EPINews among your colleagues and direct any queries or comments to me at r.dennehy@ucc.ie.


EPI News Issue 13

EpiNews Issue 12

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to the 11th issue of EPINews. On behalf of the School, I would like to thank outgoing Editor of the EPINews, Emily Kelleher, for her hard work and dedication to the newsletter over the last three years. Emily is currently concentrating on completing her PhD and we wish her the very best.

This issue is once again packed full with news, research updates, events and training opportunities. It has been a busy summer so far with many colleagues travelling to seminars and conferences at home and away. Canada appears to be the current hotspot drawing staff and students for international work placements and conferences. Mr Kieran Walsh completed his international work placement in Ottawa while Dr Martin Davoren and Dr Sheena McHugh presented at the third bi-annual Global Implementation Conference in Toronto. Professor Ivan Perry, Dr Fiona Geaney and Dr Sarah Fitzgerald attended the Annual Meeting of the International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity in Victoria, BC.


I would encourage you to circulate EPINews among your colleagues and direct any queries or comments to me at r.dennehy@ucc.ie

 

EPINews Issue 12 


Rebecca Dennehy

EpiNews Issue 11

Dear Colleagues,


Welcome to the 11th issue of EPINews. In January, the SPHeRE Network held their Annual Meeting at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin and the Department was very well represented with 7 oral and 3 poster presentations. The theme of this year’s meeting was ‘Supporting solutions: Connecting Research, Policy and Practice’ and many of our staff and students were present to showcase their research in various areas ranging from emergency care to the management of obesity.
Since the last issue, many of our PhD Students have defended their theses. Congratulations are in order for Dr Sarah Fitzgerald, Dr Jamie Madden, Dr Dervla Hogan and Dr Seán Millar. We wish you all the best for your future careers.
This issue is once again packed full with news, research updates, events and training opportunities and as always, I would encourage you to circulate EPINews among your colleagues and direct any queries or comments to me at emily.kelleher@ucc.ie

 

EPINews Issue 11 (1,461kB)


Ms. Emily Kelleher

EPINews Issue 10

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to the tenth issue of EPINews. Since the last issue, a number of our outstanding PhD students have submitted their PhD theses. Congratulations to Ms Sarah Fitzgerald, Ms Dervla Hogan and Mr Jamie Madden on this wonderful achievement and the very best of luck with your upcoming Vivas. On Wednesday last, Dr Sharon Cadogan successfully defended her thesis entitled ‘The design, implementation and evaluation of a laboratory based intervention to optimise serum immunoglobulin test use in primary care’. Sharon’s PhD explored the efficiency of laboratory test use among primary care physicians in the South of Ireland, with a key focus on the design, development and evaluation of a behaviour change intervention targeting serum immunoglobulin test use. This research was a collaboration with the Department of Haematology at Cork University Hospital, under the supervision of Professor Mary Cahill, Professor John Browne and Professor Colin Bradley. We wish you all the best for your future career Dr Cadogan!
This issue is once again packed full with news, research updates, events and training opportunities and as always, I would encourage you to circulate EPINews among your colleagues and direct any queries or comments to me at emily.kelleher@ucc.ie .

Ms. Emily Kelleher

EPINews Issue 10

EPINews Issue 9

Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to the 9th issue of EPINews. Summer is upon us and many of our colleagues are busy attending and presenting at various national and international conferences. In June Ms Shelly Chakraborty and Ms Laura McCarthy showcased their research at the European Obesity Summit in Gothenburg while Dr Martin Davoren presented at the 42nd Annual Alcohol Epidemiology Symposium held in Stockholm. From 8th-12th June, I had the pleasure of accompanying Dr Fiona Geaney and Ms Sarah Fitzgerald to Cape Town, South Africa where we presented at the International Society for Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity Annual Conference. 
Since the last issue, many of our PhD Students have submitted or defended their theses. Congratulations are in order for Dr Aline Brennan, Dr Anne-Marie O’Flynn, Dr Sara Leitao, Dr Christina Dillon and Dr Eileen Curran on their outstanding achievements. 
This issue is once again packed full with news, research updates, events and training opportunities and as always, I would encourage you to circulate EPINews among your colleagues and direct any queries or comments to me at emily.kelleher@ucc.ie 
Ms. Emily Kelleher

 

EPINews Issue 9

EPINews Issue 8

Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to the 8th issue of EPINews. Since the last issue, the SPHeRE Network has held their Annual Meeting at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin and the Department was very well represented with 8 oral and 7 poster presentations. The theme of this year’s meeting was ‘Population health and health services research in Ireland: current trends and future directions’ and many of our staff and students were present to showcase their research in various areas ranging from emergency care to the management of obesity. 
In February, one of our outstanding PhD students Martin Davoren graduated. Martin’s thesis explored alcohol consumption among university students and has made several headlines both nationally and internationally. Congratulations Dr Davoren, we wish all the best for your future career!!
This issue is once again packed full with news, research updates, events and training opportunities and as always, I would encourage you to circulate EPINews among your colleagues and direct any queries or comments to me at emily.kelleher@ucc.ie 
Ms. Emily Kelleher DEPARTMENT

Epi Newsletter March 2016

EPINews Issue 7

 

 Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to this issue of EPINews. Another summer has come and gone and colleagues here in the Department are settling back into their routines after another eventful season. Milan was the hotspot this year as three of our PhD scholars visited the Italian city to present their research. Ms Sarah Fitzgerald travelled in June to present her work on absenteeism in the workplace at the International Health Economics Association Congress while Ms Marsha Treacy and Ms Shelly Chakraborty flew in last week to present at the 8th European Public Health Conference. Since the last issue the Society for Social Medicine has also held their Annual Scientific Meeting in Dublin and the Department was well represented at this major international meeting with 8 oral and 6 poster presentations and a workshop led by HRB Centre for health and Diet Research. As always, I would encourage you to circulate EPINews among your colleagues and direct any queries or comments to me at emily.kelleher@ucc.ie

Ms. Emily Kelleher

Epi news 7

EPINews Issue 6

Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to this edition of EPINews. Once again, this issue is packed full with news, events and research updates from within the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health. As usual this summer has been hectic, with many colleagues travelling across the island and further afield to present their research at various seminars and conferences. The Department was well represented at the Health Services Research Network conference held earlier this month where they hosted a very successful session on the response patterns to austerity from different health system levels within the Irish context in conjunction with colleagues in the ESRI, RCSI and TCD.
Congratulations are in order for Dr Sheena McHugh, who has been awarded with a prestigious CARDI fellowship. As part of this Sheena will be developing a falls prevention intervention for older people with diabetes. This summer has also seen two more of our outstanding scholars submit and defend their PhD theses. Congrats to Dr Eimear Keane and Dr Fiona Geaney. I would encourage you to circulate EPINews among your colleagues and direct any queries or comments to me at emily.kelleher@ucc.ie
 
Find the full newsletter here:

EPINews Issue 5

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to the first edition of EPINews for 2015. The year kicked off to a great start with a number of successes for the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health. The new integrated Course in Occupational Health began in January with 16 individuals enrolled in the programme. The format of this course is entirely online, is run part-time over 18 months and is offered by experienced academic experts and professionals from the community of health and safety practitioners. Initial feedback has been very positive and interest surrounding the programme is ever-increasing. PhD candidate Martin Davoren has been busy making headlines as his protégées Eimear Murphy and Ian O’Sullivan were crowned winners of the 51st BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition. Furthermore, Martin caught the public’s interest with his work exploring hazardous alcohol consumption and related adverse consequences. Like previous issues I would encourage you to circulate EPINews among your colleagues and direct any queries or comments to me at emily.kelleher@ucc.ie

EPINews Issue 5

 

With Best Wishes,

Ms. Emily Kelleher

EPINews Issue 4

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to this edition of EPINews. 2014 has been both an eventful and successful year for the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health as it has entered a new era in elearning. In January, the Department launched an Online Postgraduate Certificate in Health Protection and in September, the Online Masters in Public Health (E-MPH). Furthermore, we are busy finalising our new Online MSc in Occupational Health and are looking forward to its commencement in early 2015.

2014 has also seen 8 of our outstanding PhD Students successfully defend their theses – Congratulations to Dr. Claire Buckley, Dr. Vera McCarthy, Dr. Maria Boyce, Dr. Margaret Curtin, Dr. Sinead O’Neill, Dr. Linda O’Keeffe, Dr. Grace O’ Malley and Dr. Sarah-Jo Sinnott. Finally, like every year, Department staff and students travelled across the globe sharing their research at various seminars and conferences – including those in Alaska and China! I would encourage you to circulate EPINews among your colleagues and direct any queries or comments to me at emily.kelleher@ucc.ie

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas,

Ms. Emily Kelleher

Read the full issue by clicking on the link below

EPINews Issue 4

EPINews Issue 3

Dear Colleagues,
 
Welcome to this edition of EPINews. This issue is packed full with news, events and research updates from within the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health. There has been a flurry of activity since the last issue. Many new faces have joined the team on HRB Summer Studentships to work on an assortment of ongoing research projects while other colleagues have travelled across the island and further afield to present their research at various seminars and conferences. A number of our PhD students have submitted or successfully defended their theses – congratulations to Ms. Maria Boyce, Dr. Margaret Curtain, Dr. Sinead O’Neill and Dr. Claire Buckley. Furthermore, we are busy making the final preparations to timetables and course work for the next academic year and looking forward to the commencement of our new E-MPH.
 
I would encourage you to circulate EPINews among your colleagues and direct any queries or comments to me at emily.kelleher@ucc.ie
 
Ms. Emily Kelleher 
 
To read the full newsletter, please click on the below PDF: 
 
 

EPINews Issue 2

Dear Colleagues,
 
Welcome to this edition of EPINews. This issue is packed full with news, events and research updates from within the Department. Since the last issue, we have released the results from the Cork Children’s Lifestyle Study (CCLaS) which investigated the wellbeing, diet and exercise levels of Cork children over 2012 and 2013. The study received strong support from children, parents and schools in Cork with over one thousand children from 3rd and 4th classes from primary schools in Cork city and Mitchelstown taking part. The study found that one quarter of participating children were carrying excess weight and the findings show over 50% of children have salt intakes well above healthy levels and 8% were considered as having high blood pressure. For more information visit CClaS on the Department website. I would encourage you to circulate EPINews among your colleagues and direct any queries or comments to me at emily.kelleher@ucc.ie 
 
Ms. Emily Kelleher
 

To read the full newsletter, please click on the below PDF: 

EPINews Issue 2

EPINews Issue 1

Dear Colleagues,
 
I am delighted to introduce this first edition of EPINews, the Department of Epidemiology & Public Health’s quarterly newsletter. The work of the Department is focused on research and teaching addressing the causes and prevention of disease in the population, the promotion of health & wellbeing, and the optimal delivery of health services. We will use this newsletter to keep you in touch with news and developments from the Department, including research highlights and information on our teaching programme. We offer a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate courses from BSc to PhD level in Public Health, Occupational Health and Health Services Research and we have an active research program. I hope you find something in EPINews that is of interest to you. EPINews is edited by Ms. Emily Kelleher, one of our BSc Public Health graduates, now in her first year of the HRB funded SPHeRE (Structured Population and Health-Services Research Education) Programme.
 
Wishing you all the very best for 2014,
Prof. Ivan Perry 
 
To read the full newsletter, please click on the below PDF: 
 

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