Ms Ruth Benson, PHD Student

Address: School of Public Health, Western Gateway Building, Western Road, Cork

Telephone: 021 420 5545

Email: ruth.benson@ucc.ie

Ruth is currently undertaking her PhD on 'Socio-ecological and geospatial mapping of suicide and self-harm clustering' at the School of Public Health and the National Suicide Research Foundation, in collaboration with the National Centre of Geocomputation, Maynooth University. This PhD constitutes part of the Health Research Board funded 5 year programme titled 'Individual and area level determinants of self-harm and suicide in Ireland: Enhancing Prediction, Risk Assessment and Management of Self-Harm by Health Services'.

Prior to commencing her PhD studies, Ruth worked on the SSIS-Psychological Autopsy Model study in Donegal. In addition, Ruth was part of a multi-agency group involved in the implementation of the local action plan for the Connecting for Life Donegal Suicide Prevention Strategy.

Ruth graduated with a BSc in Psychology from Liverpool Hope University in 2013. She continued her studies in the UK, graduating with a MSc in Clinical and Health Psychology from Newcastle University in 2014. She has previously held the role of Assistant Psychologist in both the HSE West Donegal Psychology Department and Sotogrande International Boarding School, Spain.