Contacts

Cristiano is Associate Professor in Interaction Design and Director of the Interaction Design Centre. He is a social scientist working at the intersection of design and computer science. He is interested in design theory and practices, participatory and collaborative design and research practices, inclusion, and sustainability. He has worked in different application areas: Health and Self Care, Web2.0, open hardware and software, and social innovation. He is interested in exploring the role of new emerging computing paradigms and participatory methods to design and research FOR and WITH autistic individuals. He is concerned with inclusive understanding of neurodiversity

Michelle is a Lecturer in Speech and Language Therapy in the School of Allied Health and a member of the Health Research Institute of the University of Limerick. Her research focuses on advancing inclusion and developing peer-based supports. She is interested in building capacity to enhance communicative interactions and opportunities and in supporting the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Michelle engages in research in partnership with autistic people and their families.

Andreas Grabrucker is a Lecturer in the Biological Sciences department of the University of Limerick and is a Principal Investigator in the Bio Materials cluster of the Bernal Institute. He is also member of the Health Research Institute of the University of Limerick. His topic of research is Translational Neuroscience – From model system for brain disorders to Nanomedicine. His team investigates the biological substrate of brain disorders such as Autism and then tries to build model systems with comparable properties outside the body. He is particularly focused on non-genetic factors triggering Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Caoilinn developed the ULEAD programme which aims to support students with social, personal and academic development during their time at university. She also developed the UxL Summer School which aims to support students to prepare for university life. She is interested in building student “capital” and resilience through strengths-based models of support. Her PhD explores the experiences of students with disabilities as they transition to university. She is interested in social-emotional learning skills, resilience and the types of assets and protective factors that can support positive transition.

Chiara has a background in Medical Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine in Bari, Italy. In her Erasmus + traineeship at Ulm University, Germany, during the Master-Degree, she focused on understanding the role of the zinc transporters in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Chiara is a first year PhD student working in the BioMaterials group with Dr. Andreas Grabrucker. In her PhD project she investigates the influence of prenatal zinc deficiency on Autism and the role of zinc transporters in ASD.

Ann Katrin has a MSc degree in Biology from University Ulm, Germany. She is a third year PhD student working in the Bio Materials group at the Bernal Institute of University of Limerick with Dr. Andreas Grabrucker. In her PhD project, she investigates gut-brain interaction in neurodevelopmental disorders with a focus on autism. She aims at understanding the molecular basis responsible for the development of autism and gastrointestinal co-morbidities to inform the future development of therapeutic approaches.

Janelle has a background in Genetics and Molecular Biology from University College Cork. She is a PhD student working with Dr. Andreas Grabrucker within the Bio Materials group at the Bernal Institute of the University of Limerick. During the course of her PhD, she will investigate the role of trace metals in Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Brooke McMullen holds a BSc in Communication Sciences and Disorders from The University of New Hampshire and an MSc. in Psychological Sciences from University of Limerick. Brooke worked as a Child Development Specialist for an Early Intervention agency in Boston, MA., is a Certified DIR Floortime/Interactive Play Therapist , and trained in the Screening Tool for Autism in Toddlers. She is currently a PhD student in the Psychology Department at University of Limerick. Her PhD research aims to support the detection of Girls with Autism in Early Childhood.

Charlotte is an experienced health and social care practitioner with over 10 years of frontline experience working in the non-profit sector. She holds a BA in Applied Social Studies in Social Care from the Technological University of Limerick, graduating in 2015. She has worked across a diverse range of areas, including Disabilities, Mental Health, Addictions, and Homelessness. Charlotte currently serves as a Disability Support Officer with the University of Limerick’s Disability Support Service (DSS). She is committed to supporting students registered with the service to reach their full academic potential. With previous training in Trauma-Informed Practice, she is passionate about applying this lens to her work, ensuring that academic environments are inclusive, supportive, and empowering.

Daniel Tindall is a Lecturer within the Physical Education and Sport Sciences (PESS) Department. Daniel has a deep interest in the attitudes and perceptions of pre-service PE teachers and the facilitation of inclusion within the Irish educational system. His current research projects focus on the physical activity levels of children with disabilities and special needs as well as parent perceptions of the assessment and IEP process as they relate to Physical Education in Ireland. At present, Daniel is the Co-Director of the Inclusive Play and Leisure Activities for Youth (i-PLAY) programme.

Building sustainable communities of practice in health and social care is the overarching theme which drives Rosie's education and research philosophy to advocate for appropriate person-centred service provision as a responsibility of the whole community. Her principle research interest is to investigate health and social care system infrastructures through participatory and inclusive methodologies, towards the development of sustainable health and social care policy, implementation and service provision. Her work is underpinned by equality, human rights and sustainable development perspectives.

Marie was the Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in UL. She is an accredited Executive Coach with a Master’s Degree in Education and a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) in Higher Education Management from the University of Bath, where she was awarded the Richard and Shirley Mawditt prize for outstanding performance. Marie’s research interests are in the areas of Mentoring in particular the value of formal mentoring from a knowledge based and gender perspective. Marie successfully lead the University’s bid in achieving the prestigious Athena SWAN (AS) Bronze Institution Award in 2015 and the AS Expanded Charter in 2018. Marie was also the chair of the National Athena SWAN Practitioners Network and a member of the Athena SWAN Steering Committee where she previously held the position of chairperson.

Professor James Gleeson holds the Chair in Industrial and Applied Mathematics at the University of Limerick and is co-director of the MACSI research group. His research interests include stochastic dynamics and contagion on complex networks. He is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Complex Networks and a member of the editorial board of Physical Review E, and he is the lead director of the SFI Centre for Research Training in Foundations of Data Science. As a proud parent of a child with ASD, he is conscious of the challenges and opportunities of neurodiversity, both in academia and in industry.

Dr. Deirdre O'Loughlin's research interests lie in a broad range of areas including consumer behaviour and branding, relationship and services marketing, as well as social and public policy issues. Her recent research focus has been on exploring the experiences of and impact on potentially vulnerable individuals and groups in a variety of different consumption and service contexts.

Jimmy Burke is the University of Limerick’s first Interprofessional Practice Tutor. This is a new role nationally in the emerging area of Interprofessional Education. Jimmy is focused on developing interprofessional learning opportunities for students in community-based settings. His employment as a Physiotherapist, includes working as a Senior Paediatric Physiotherapist with Primary Care and Children’s Disability Services for over four years. Supporting development of movement skills in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) within their community, is one of Jimmy’s areas of clinical interest. Last year he received funding for his project “Giddy Up!”, which provides equine-assisted activity to children with a diagnosis of ASD and additional needs.

Bio

Noreen is a temporary lecturer in in Speech and Language Therapy in the School of Allied Health and a member of the Health Research Institute. Noreen’s research interests involve interprofessional education and collaborative practice, use of theory in research, and healthcare policy. Noreen works as a Speech and Language Therapist with a School Aged Disability Team, working with children and young people from 5-18, including autistic children and young people. She is particularly interested in the area of social communication interventions and family orientated interventions.

Before joining the School of Allied Health academic team in 2018, Anne practised as a senior community dietitian with the HSE and a consultant registered dietitian for 15 years. During this time, she established and provided a community dietetic service and was involved in the development, implementation and support of programmes to promote health and prevent nutrition related diseases in a range of clinical and community settings. She also provided a specialist feeding clinic to families experiencing feeding difficulties resulting in avoidant, restrictive food intake disorders. Anne continues to research in nutrition promotion through partnerships she has developed and maintained with both HSE and community development group services.

Scott Murphy is a part time teaching assistant in the School of Allied Health (SAH) at the University of Limerick. He teaches anatomy to Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy students at an undergraduate and masters level. The other half of Scott’s working life is as a Chartered Physiotherapist, where he works clinically in Limerick. He has a keen interest in movement literacy for children and is passionate about the therapeutic benefits of exercise. Scott has seen first-hand the positive effects of integrated physical activity on the physical, emotional and social aspects of life for those with autism.

Keith Enright is the Chief executive officer and Founder of ASD Ireland. He launched the group in 2017 as Limerick Autism Group, and now provides socially inclusive activities to over 200 people with autism and their families. He graduated from UCC in Autism in 2017 and is a parent to a teenager with autism. He has over 10 years experience working in front line health and social care services. www.asdireland.ie

My name is Avril Webster and I live in Limerick Ireland, I co-manage a self directed support arrangement with my son who has autism and intellectual disability. I am passionate about equality, social justice and citizenship. Alongside my son, we lead a support team that ensures a community based life and gives access to the ordinary everyday things. Using a human rights based approach, we focus on positive, strength based solutions underpinned by values of dignity, respect and inclusion. I am the author of the Off We Go Series of books published by Outside The Box Publishing, available in English and Irish. I am a founder member of the Inclusive Living Network, a network of individuals, families and agencies who are passionate and committed to promoting, enabling and demonstrating self-determined and inclusive lives for people with disabilities. I guest lecture at University of Limerick and am involved in research with the UL Autism Special Interest Group. I love to read, cook and travel. I am also an active member of our local Tidy Towns Committee and Team Limerick Clean Up.

Eleanor has a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning for Third Level from UCC. She teaches and lectures for a number of colleges: Limerick Writers Centre, Limerick College of Further Education, Hibernia College Dublin and University College Cork. She gives lectures on UCC’s Diploma for Autism Studies, Diploma for Disability Studies and supervises student’s final dissertations on the Professional Masters in Education, specialising in Autism and Special Education with Hibernia Education College Dublin. Her other areas of speciality are: the law and autism, representation of autism in the media, and mental health. Eleanor co-founded the Special Needs Parents Association of Ireland with other parents in 2010. She has worked with and represented other disability groups both nationally/locally in the media. She has given many talks to and for these groups and also spoken at protest marches for disability rights.

Ronan Lordan is a researcher of circadian biology and nutrition at the Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. Ronan is a former lecturer and alumnus at the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Limerick, where he graduated with a BSc in Biological Sciences and Education, a PhD in Nutritional Biochemistry, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. He is a member of the Health Research Institute at UL and has a keen interest in autism, education research, and outreach.