Susan is also a part-time Lecturer in the School of Public Health. She holds a Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Certificate.
Susan first joined the School of Public Health in 2016 as a PhD researcher. Her research focused on the evaluation of a pilot alcohol prevention programme for college students in Ireland and on the policy context in Ireland. Following her PhD, Susan was involved in a number of postdoctoral health research projects with an implementation science and knowledge translation component.
Prior to joining the School of Public Health, Susan completed a Masters of Social Science in Social Policy. She has previously worked in research publishing for organisations including the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions and as a freelance health journalist.
Her research interests include alcohol research, policy analysis, health promotion, implementation science and knowledge translation. Methodologically, she has a strong interest in qualitative research and also has experience in mixed methods research.
In UCC, she is involved in the coordination and delivery of a number of modules in the School of Public Health including:
Module EH2009: Public Health Issues
Module EH3004: Work Placement
She also delivers alcohol-related lectures in the School and is involved in teaching public health fundamentals to medical students (GM2020). In the past, she has also contributed to a number of modules in the School of Applied Social Studies. Susan also provides thesis supervision to students undertaking the Master’s of Public Health.
Biography
Dr Susan Calnan is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the School of Public Health leading the HRB-funded Applying Research into Policy and Practice (ARPP) project focused on alcohol policy implementation in Ireland.Susan is also a part-time Lecturer in the School of Public Health. She holds a Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Certificate.
Susan first joined the School of Public Health in 2016 as a PhD researcher. Her research focused on the evaluation of a pilot alcohol prevention programme for college students in Ireland and on the policy context in Ireland. Following her PhD, Susan was involved in a number of postdoctoral health research projects with an implementation science and knowledge translation component.
Prior to joining the School of Public Health, Susan completed a Masters of Social Science in Social Policy. She has previously worked in research publishing for organisations including the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions and as a freelance health journalist.
Research Interests
Susan is an interdisciplinary researcher whose expertise spans public health, social science and political science perspectives. While she maintains a strong focus on health-related issues, she is interested in exploring ways to incorporate more social science and political science perspectives, challenging assumptions and seeking fresh perspectives on issues that continue to face society.Her research interests include alcohol research, policy analysis, health promotion, implementation science and knowledge translation. Methodologically, she has a strong interest in qualitative research and also has experience in mixed methods research.
Research Grants
| Project | Funding Body | Start Date | End Date | Award | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Improving public health through better implementation of alcohol policy: A multi-method study examining and addressing the factors influencing successful implementation | Health Research Board | 01-DEC-23 | 07-NOV-27 | €255,014.00 | |
| Digital Storytelling for Research | Health Research Board | 01-DEC-24 | 31-DEC-25 | €22,000.00 |
Publications
Peer Reviewed Journals
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2023) | 'Support for evidence-based alcohol policy in Ireland: Results from a representative household survey' Calnan S; Millar SR; Mongan D (2023) 'Support for evidence-based alcohol policy in Ireland: Results from a representative household survey'. European Journal of Public Health, [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2023) | 'Experiences and perceptions of evidence use among senior health service decision makers in Ireland: A qualitative study' Calnan S, McHugh, S (2023) 'Experiences and perceptions of evidence use among senior health service decision makers in Ireland: A qualitative study'. Policy Press, 20 (2):163-183 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2022) | 'Assessing the scalability of an integrated falls prevention service for community-dwelling older people: a mixed methods study' Calnan, S;Lee, K;McHugh, S (2022) 'Assessing the scalability of an integrated falls prevention service for community-dwelling older people: a mixed methods study'. BMC geriatrics, 22 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2021) | 'College students' perspectives on an alcohol prevention programme and student drinking - A focus group study' Calnan, S;Davoren, MP (2021) 'College students' perspectives on an alcohol prevention programme and student drinking - A focus group study'. Nordic Studies On Alcohol And Drugs, [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2018) | 'Ireland’s Public Health (Alcohol) Bill: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Industry and Public Health Perspectives on the Bill' Calnan S.;Davoren M.;Perry I.;O’Donovan Ó. (2018) 'Ireland’s Public Health (Alcohol) Bill: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Industry and Public Health Perspectives on the Bill'. Contemporary Drug Problems, 45 (2):107-126 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2018) | 'Responding to excessive alcohol consumption in third-level (REACT): a study protocol' Davoren, MP;Calnan, S;Mulcahy, J;Lynch, E;Perry, IJ;Byrne, M (2018) 'Responding to excessive alcohol consumption in third-level (REACT): a study protocol'. BMC Health Services Research, 18 [DOI] [Details] |
Conference Publications
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2023) | European Journal of Public Health Calnan S; Bickerdike A; Byrne M; O'Neill C; Millar SR; Muttucomaroe L; Oliveira V (2023) A regional gap analysis to inform the implementation of the Irish Healthy Campus Framework European Journal of Public Health [DOI] [Details] |
Published Reports
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2024) | Staff, General Practitioners and Families Experiences of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Ireland. O’Donovan, A.*, McCarthy S*., O’Malley, M., Duffy, M., Drakos, K., Glavin, C., Medved, K., Pierce, S., Murphy, K.D., Goulding, R., Cotter, P., Foley, T., Khashan, A., Connolly, A. Hawkins, A., McLoughlin, K., Goodwin, J., Saab, M., Calnan, S., Ó Caoilte, N., O’Mahony, J. ( (2024) Staff, General Practitioners and Families Experiences of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Ireland. University College Cork, Cork. [Details] | |
| (2024) | UCC & MTU Healthy Campus Research Collaboration: An Inter-Institutional Collaboration to Inform the Implementation of the HEA Healthy Campus Framework. Bickerdike A; Byrne M; Calnan S; O’Neill C; Millar SR; Muttucomaroe L; Oliveira V (2024) UCC & MTU Healthy Campus Research Collaboration: An Inter-Institutional Collaboration to Inform the Implementation of the HEA Healthy Campus Framework. University College Cork & Munster Technological University, Cork. [Details] | |
| (2017) | Before 5 & Community Academic Research Links Community Research Report. Ahern, C., Barry, M., Burns, K., Calnan, S., Cosgrave, S., Cotter, G., Dobrea, M., Foley, S., Galvin, M., Golden, B., Hally, R., Hamill, J., Hayes, G., Jump, O., Madden, I., Moynihan, C.. O’Connor, L., O’Mahony, C., Ryan, K., Olwabunmi Taiwo, O., Wallace, T., & Watson, C. (2017) Before 5 & Community Academic Research Links Community Research Report. University College Cork, Cork. [Details] |
Abstract
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2020) | Promoting healthy infant feeding to prevent childhood obesity: Process evaluation of the CHERISH intervention. Flannery, C;O'Neill, K;Calnan, S;McGrath, H;Matvienko-Sikar, K;Toomey, E;Byrne, M;Kearney, PM (2020) Promoting healthy infant feeding to prevent childhood obesity: Process evaluation of the CHERISH intervention. London: Abstract [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2020) | A qualitative study to identify the factors influencing the perceived acceptability, appropriateness and feasibility of implementing a falls risk assessment service for older people. Calnan, S;Flannery, C;McHugh, S (2020) A qualitative study to identify the factors influencing the perceived acceptability, appropriateness and feasibility of implementing a falls risk assessment service for older people. LONDON: Abstract [Details] | |
| (2016) | "Rewarding Change: The REACT Project on Your Campus'' Tackling alcohol-related harm in a strategic way. Davoren, MP;Carey, D;Mulcahy, J;Calnan, S;Byrne, M (2016) "Rewarding Change: The REACT Project on Your Campus'' Tackling alcohol-related harm in a strategic way. OXFORD: Abstract [Details] |
Articles
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2019) | Role of integrated knowledge translation in developing and implementing a multi-component infant feeding intervention: Insights from the CHErIsH study. Calnan, S; Toomey, E; Matvienko-Sikar, K; Hayes, C; McHugh, S; Flannery, C; O’Neill, K; Doherty, E; Hennessy, M; Kelly, C; Heary, C; Queally, M; Byrne, M; Kearney, PM (2019) Role of integrated knowledge translation in developing and implementing a multi-component infant feeding intervention: Insights from the CHErIsH study. Articles [Details] |
Professional Activities
Committees
| Committee | Function | From / To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthy Campus Working Group | Research Collaborator & Working Group member | 2023 / | |
| ISS21 Board | Board member | 2022 / 2026 | |
| SRDATF Alcohol Strategy Group | Member of Strategy Group | 2018 / 2027 |
Employment
| Employer | Position | From / To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| UCC | Postdoctoral Research Fellow | 01-DEC-23 / 30-JUN-27 | |
| UCC | Postdoctoral Researcher | 01-SEP-19 / 30-NOV-23 | |
| European Foundation for the Improvement of Living & Working Conditions/International Alert | Research Publishing | 06-DEC-04 / 26-FEB-16 | |
| UCC | PhD researcher | 01-MAR-16 / 31-AUG-19 |
Education
| Year | Institution | Qualification | Subject | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | University College Cork | Masters of Social Science | Social Policy | |
| 1995 | University of Galway | HDip | Applied Communications | |
| 1994 | University College Cork | BA | English & Philosophy | |
| 2019 | University College Cork | PhD | Public Health | |
| 2011 | University College Cork | HDip | Development Studies |
Teaching Activities
Teaching Interests
Susan is passionate about third-level teaching and maintains a strong interest in research-led and student-centred teaching. As a scholar of UCC’s Teaching and Learning programme, she is interested is exploring ways to enrich the teaching experience and in developing engaging teaching materials.In UCC, she is involved in the coordination and delivery of a number of modules in the School of Public Health including:
Module EH2009: Public Health Issues
Module EH3004: Work Placement
She also delivers alcohol-related lectures in the School and is involved in teaching public health fundamentals to medical students (GM2020). In the past, she has also contributed to a number of modules in the School of Applied Social Studies. Susan also provides thesis supervision to students undertaking the Master’s of Public Health.