Public Engagement

Community Involvement & Citizen Science

Pedestrian Cork Group

Since October 2019, I have been a member of the Pedestrian Cork Steering group, an advocacy group that is working towards a more accessible, walkable and supportive outdoor environment. The group developed a survey to map the experiences and needs of pedestrians in Cork.

In the first half of 2020, I led a survey of pedestrian experiences with Pedestrian Cork. The main findings are outlined in the Pedestrian Cork Survey 2020 Report. The survey was completed by 1,219 Cork citizens, and the report has been adopted by Cork City Council as informing document for the Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028.

I always welcome opportunities to contribute to initiatives in my community related to environment and wellbeing. In March 2021, during a prolonged lockdown in Ireland, I took part as a volunteer in a citizen science project to rank green spaces in Cork City. You can read more about the project here.

 

Science Communication

Invited contributions

DateContributionOrganiser
November 2021Invited Talk “Putting wellbeing in place? Considerations about place-based happiness and equity from a psychosocial perspectiveWellbeing in Policy Seminar Series – Centre for Urban Wellbeing, University of Birmingham
October 2021Panellist in the Public Talk “Air Quality in CorkUCC Community Week
August 2021Academic contribution to “A crisis in climate cognition, explainedGreen News.ie
March 2021Invited Talk “From healthy cities to happy cities? Reflections on the psychosocial benefits of active travelTransport and Mobility Forum Cork. Mix your Mode webinar 2021
November 2019Academic contribution to “The Psychologist Guide to… RetirementBritish Psychological Society

 

Famelab Ireland 2017

CMK26012017 Famelab_UCC 0107

Second prize at the Regional Munster Heat where I used my moka pot to describe the concept of “affordances” and their application to design user-friendly environments (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u00tf-yoIwQ) , and qualification for the National Final where I talked about how learning helps the brain to age slower (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-QFtLinmNU)

 

University College Cork Doctoral Showcase (June 2015)

FB_IMG_1432728609794

Second prize in the “Three Minutes Thesis” section. Presentation title: “It Takes Two to Tango; Person-Environoment Interactions Influence Cognitive Ageing”
https://tinyurl.com/nx8f3o6

 

 

 

Cork Culture Night (2014-17)

IMG_20171221_150845

I have been actively involved in the annual Irish Culture Night organised by the School of Applied Psychology, UCC, since 2014, engaging the public in my research work and in “Brain Games” activities to learn about perception and cognitive processes.