Professor Margaret McGrath is Head of Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at University College Cork. A state registered Occupational Therapist (CORU OT068447), she has over 20 years of clinical and research experience working with adults and older people living with chronic disease and disability. Her work is interdisciplinary in nature and is focused on people with and without disabilities across the lifespan, health professionals and policy makers.

Professor McGrath's program of research is primarily focused on sexuality and disability, and she is recognised as a global leader of research in this area. Her research program adopts a broad understanding of sexuality which goes beyond sexual activity to include other dimensions of sexuality such as sexual health literacy, dating, reproductive decision making and parenting. Professor McGrath's research has led to collaborations with consumer bodies to develop resources to support professionals to address sexuality in practice including an self-paced learning module Relationships Intimacy and Sexuality after Stroke supported by the Stroke Foundation Australia. She currently contributes as an invited expert to the Promoting Healthy Relationships and Sexuality led by the Health Service Executive Disability Quality Improvement Team.

In collaboration with colleagues at the University of Sydney she has established and leads a global network OT4Parenting which is focused on advancing occupational therapy assessment and intervention to support parents with disabilities.  

Professor McGrath has supervised a wide range of PhD and MSc (Research) students nationally and internationally, with expertise in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research. Current students include