Biography

Dr Jean O'Dwyer is Head of Environmental Science in the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science and Deputy Director of the SFI Centre for Research in Applied Geoscience. 

Jean currently leads the Environment and Health Research Lab in the Environmental Research Institute, which hosts several funded projects assessing environmentally associated infectious diseases, groundwater quality, antimicrobial resistance and the impact of climate change on human health. 

Dr Jean O'Dwyer is Head of Environmental Science in the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science and Deputy Director of the SFI Centre for Research in Applied Geoscience. 

Jean currently leads the Environment and Health Research Lab in the Environmental Research Institute, which hosts several funded projects assessing environmentally associated infectious diseases, groundwater quality, antimicrobial resistance and the impact of climate change on human health. 

Dr Jean O'Dwyer is Head of Environmental Science in the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science and Deputy Director of the SFI Centre for Research in Applied Geoscience. 

Jean currently leads the Environment and Health Research Lab in the Environmental Research Institute, which hosts several funded projects assessing environmentally associated infectious diseases, groundwater quality, antimicrobial resistance and the impact of climate change on human health. 

Research Interests

My research interests include:

-Environment and Health:  Environmental epidemiology and geo-statistical analysis of infectious diseases, with a particular interest in the impact of climate change on the proliferation of waterborne  diseases. 

-Water Quality and Risk Factor Analysis: Microbial and chemical contaminants of drinking water with a focus on risk elucidation and contaminant risk-factor modelling.

-Antibiotic resistance:  Elucidation of environmental factors affecting the selection and drivers of antibiotic resistant bacteria, and the distribution of pharmaceutical residues in the environment.

Research Grants

  Project Funding
Body
Start Date End Date Award
Risks, Awareness, Perceptions, and Behaviours pertaining to the adverse human health effects of previous and future flood events in Ireland (CO-PI) Irish Research Council 09-JAN-17 09-JAN-19 €100,000.00
Detection and RIsk management of Verotoxigenic E. coli in the water Environment Environmental Protection Agency 01-MAY-22 01-MAY-26 €500,000.00
Research Bursary Luisa A Andade. Irish Funded Research 29-OCT-20 28-JAN-21 €5,000.00
Climate Change in the Republic of Ireland: Societal Impacts and Solutions (CRISIS) (PI) Environmental Protection Agency 01-MAR-20 28-FEB-23 €350,000.00
HEACOVID19 01-APR-21 31-JUL-21 €6,167.00
Unraveling Data for Rapid Evidence Based Responses to COVID 19 (unCoVer) European Commission 01-SEP-20 01-SEP-22 €3,000,000.00
Climate Change in the Republic of Irelad: Societal Health Impacts and Solutions (CRISIS). Environment Protection Agency (EPA) 02-MAR-20 02-FEB-24 €178,200.00
COVID-19: (Space Time) Scanning, Mobility and Intervention Diagnosis (COSMID) Science Foundation Ireland 01-JUN-20 01-APR-21 €120,000.00
I Environment Geosciences Postgraduate Prog Department of Communication, Climate Action and the Environment 01-OCT-18 31-MAR-23 €127,300.00
Proactive Optical Monitoring of Dissolved Organic Matter for Drinking Water Source Protection (PRODOM) (CO-PI) Environmental Protection Agency 01-SEP-19 01-MAR-22 €343,000.00
Infectious Diseases in Groundwater Networks Environment Protection Agency (EPA) 01-MAR-19 01-JUN-22 €88,406.00
EPIdemiology of Cryptosporidiosis and verotoxigenic E. coli iNfection: Timing, Rurality and population Equality (EPI-CENTRE) (CO-PI) Irish Research Council 01-FEB-19 01-JUL-20 €118,000.00
Detection of Environmental Sources of Infectious diseases in Groundwater Networks (DESIGN) (PI) Environmental Protection Agency 01-FEB-19 01-FEB-20 €100,000.00
SpatioTemporal Epidemiology of Primary Waterborne Infections - cryptoSporidium and vtEc (STEP_WISE) (Co-PI) Environmental Protection Agency 01-FEB-19 01-FEB-21 €205,000.00
Environmental Geosciences Postgraduate Programme Science Foundation of Ireland 01-OCT-18 31-MAR-23 €7,107.00
Spatiotemporal multiscale Modelling of Antibiotic ResisTance in the Irish sub-surface Environment (SMARTIE) (PI) Other: Not Listed 03-SEP-18 02-SEP-22 €143,000.00
Transnational Access Grant for Visiting Researchers (PI) European Framework Programme Seven (FP7) 01-SEP-15 €1,200.00
Contaminant Modelling in Complex Hydrogeological Systems (PI) Irish Research Council 01-OCT-17 31-JAN-18 €45,000.00
Groundwater Risk App for Local Evaluations (GRappLE) (PI) Other: Not Listed 01-NOV-17 31-OCT-18 €25,000.00

Contract Researchers

  Researcher Name Project Role Funding Body
Dr. Carlos Chique DESIGN Postdoctoral Researcher Environmental Protection Agency
Simon Mooney SOCIO-HYDRO Postgraduate Researcher Health Service Executive
Luisa Andrade SMARTIE Postgraduate Researcher Other: Not Listed

Book Chapters

  Year Publication
(2017) 'Antibiotics: Mode of action and mechanisms of resistance'
Dowling, A. M., O’Dwyer, J., Adley, C. (2017) 'Antibiotics: Mode of action and mechanisms of resistance' In: Antimicrobial Research: Novel bioknowledge and educational programs. New York: Formatex Research Centre. [Details]
(2016) 'The impact of climate change on the incidence of infectious waterborne disease'
O’Dwyer, J., Dowling, A.M., Adley, C. (2016) 'The impact of climate change on the incidence of infectious waterborne disease' In: The Urban Water Reuse Handbook. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis. [Details]
(2013) 'Alternatives to antibiotics-future trends'
Dowling, A. M., O’Dwyer, J., Adley, C. (2013) 'Alternatives to antibiotics-future trends' In: Microbial pathogens and strategies for combating them: science, technology and education. Spain: Formatex Research Centre. [Details]

Peer Reviewed Journals

  Year Publication
(2021) 'Private groundwater contamination and extreme weather events: The role of demographics, experience and cognitive factors on risk perceptions of Irish private well users'
S Mooney, J O'Dwyer, S Lavallee, PD Hynds (2021) 'Private groundwater contamination and extreme weather events: The role of demographics, experience and cognitive factors on risk perceptions of Irish private well users'. Science of The Total Environment, [Details]
(2021) 'Spatiotemporal epidemiology of cryptosporidiosis in the Republic of Ireland, 2008–2017: development of a space–time “cluster recurrence” index'
M. Boudou, E. Cleary, C. ÓhAiseadha, P. Garvey, P. McKeown, J. O’Dwyer & Paul Hynds (2021) 'Spatiotemporal epidemiology of cryptosporidiosis in the Republic of Ireland, 2008–2017: development of a space–time “cluster recurrence” index'. BMC Infectious Diseases, 21 (880) [DOI] [Details]
(2021) 'Private groundwater management and risk awareness: A cross-sectional analysis of two age-related subsets in the Republic of Ireland'
S.Mooney, J.O'Dwyer, P.D.Hynds (2021) 'Private groundwater management and risk awareness: A cross-sectional analysis of two age-related subsets in the Republic of Ireland'. Science of The Total Environment, [DOI] [Details]
(2021) 'Impact of the 2018 European drought on microbial groundwater quality in private domestic wells: A case study from a temperate maritime climate'
Jean O'Dwyer, Carlos Chique, John Weatherill, Paul Hynds (2021) 'Impact of the 2018 European drought on microbial groundwater quality in private domestic wells: A case study from a temperate maritime climate'. Journal of Hydrology, [DOI] [Details]
(2021) 'Modelling COVID-19 severity in the Republic of Ireland using patient co-morbidities, socioeconomic profile and geographic location, February to November 2020'
M. Boudou, C. ÓhAiseadha, P. Garvey, J. O’Dwyer & P. Hynds (2021) 'Modelling COVID-19 severity in the Republic of Ireland using patient co-morbidities, socioeconomic profile and geographic location, February to November 2020'. Scientific Reports, [DOI] [Details]
(2021) 'Psychological impairment and extreme weather event (EWE) exposure, 1980–2020: A global pooled analysis integrating mental health and well-being metrics'
C.Chique, P.Hynds, M.M.Nyhan, S.Lambert, M.Boudou, J.O'Dwyer (2021) 'Psychological impairment and extreme weather event (EWE) exposure, 1980–2020: A global pooled analysis integrating mental health and well-being metrics'. International journal of hygiene and environmental health, [DOI] [Details]
(2021) 'Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Sporadic Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia coli Enteritis, Ireland, 2013–2017'
Eimear Cleary, Martin Boudou, Patricia Garvey, Coilin Oh Aiseadha, Paul McKeown, Jean O’Dwyer and Paul Hynds (2021) 'Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Sporadic Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia coli Enteritis, Ireland, 2013–2017'. Emerging Infectious Diseases, [DOI] [Details]
(2021) 'Flood hydrometeorology and gastroenteric infection: The Winter 2015-2016 flood event in the Republic of Ireland'
M Boudou, C ÓhAiseadha, P Garvey, J O'Dwyer, P Hynds (2021) 'Flood hydrometeorology and gastroenteric infection: The Winter 2015-2016 flood event in the Republic of Ireland'. Journal of Hydrology, [Details]
(2021) 'Geocoding cryptosporidiosis cases in Ireland (2008–2017)—development of a reliable, reproducible, multiphase geocoding methodology'
Lisa Domegan, Patricia Garvey, Paul McKeown, Howard Johnson, Paul Hynds, Jean O’Dwyer, Coilín ÓhAiseadha (2021) 'Geocoding cryptosporidiosis cases in Ireland (2008–2017)—development of a reliable, reproducible, multiphase geocoding methodology'. Irish Journal Of Medical Science (1971 -), [Details]
(2021) 'Planning for the health impacts of climate change: Flooding, private groundwater contamination and waterborne infection – A cross-sectional study of risk perception, experience and behaviours in the Republic of Ireland'
Arianna Musacchio, Luisa Andrade, Eoin O'Neill, Vivianna Re, Jean O'Dwyer, Paul Hynds (2021) 'Planning for the health impacts of climate change: Flooding, private groundwater contamination and waterborne infection – A cross-sectional study of risk perception, experience and behaviours in the Republic of Ireland'. Environmental Research, [DOI] [Details]
(2020) 'Risk communication approaches for preventing private groundwater contamination in the Republic of Ireland: a mixed-methods study of multidisciplinary expert opinion'
Mooney, S., O'Dwyer, J., Hynds, P. (2020) 'Risk communication approaches for preventing private groundwater contamination in the Republic of Ireland: a mixed-methods study of multidisciplinary expert opinion'. Hydrogeology Journal, [Details]
(2020) 'Contamination of Domestic Groundwater Systems by Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC), 2003-2019: A Global Scoping Review'
C Chique, P Hynds, L Burke, D Morris, Ryan M, J O'Dwyer (2020) 'Contamination of Domestic Groundwater Systems by Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC), 2003-2019: A Global Scoping Review'. [Details]
(2020) 'Knowledge and behavioural interventions to reduce human health risk from private groundwater systems: A global review and pooled analysis based on development status'
S Mooney, CP McDowell, J O'Dwyer, PD Hynds (2020) 'Knowledge and behavioural interventions to reduce human health risk from private groundwater systems: A global review and pooled analysis based on development status'. Science of The Total Environment, [Details]
(2020) 'Contamination of Domestic Groundwater Systems by Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC), 2003-2019: A Global Scoping Review'
Chique, C., Hynds, P., Burke, L., Morris, D., Ryan, M., O'Dwyer, J. (2020) 'Contamination of Domestic Groundwater Systems by Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC), 2003-2019: A Global Scoping Review'. Water Research, [DOI] [Details]
(2020) 'Cryptosporidium spp. in groundwater supplies intended for human consumption – A descriptive review of global prevalence, risk factors and knowledge gaps'
Chique, C., Hynds, P., Andrade, L., Burke, L., Morris, D., Ryan, M., O'Dwyer, J. (2020) 'Cryptosporidium spp. in groundwater supplies intended for human consumption – A descriptive review of global prevalence, risk factors and knowledge gaps'. Water Research, [Details]
(2020) 'Groundwater resources as a global reservoir for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria'
Andrade, Luisa; Kelly, Madeleine; Hynds, Paul; Weatherill, John; Majury, Anna; O’Dwyer, Jean (2020) 'Groundwater resources as a global reservoir for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria'. Water Research, 170 :115360-1-115360-13 [ Publisher's Version] [DOI] [Full Text] [Details]
(2019) 'Evaluation of Hydrometric Network Efficacy and User Requirements in the Republic of Ireland via Expert Opinion and Statistical Analysis'
Hynds,P., Nasr, A., O'Dwyer, J. (2019) 'Evaluation of Hydrometric Network Efficacy and User Requirements in the Republic of Ireland via Expert Opinion and Statistical Analysis'. Journal of Hydrology, [DOI] [Details]
(2019) 'Knowledge and behavioural interventions to reduce human health risk from private groundwater systems: A global review and pooled analysis based on development status'
Mooney, S., McDowell, C., O'Dwyer, J., Hynds, P. (2019) 'Knowledge and behavioural interventions to reduce human health risk from private groundwater systems: A global review and pooled analysis based on development status'. Science of The Total Environment, [Details]
(2019) 'Assessment of two behavioural models (HBM and RANAS) for predicting health behaviours in response to environmental threats: Surface water flooding as a source of groundwater contamination and subsequent waterborne infection in the Republic of Ireland'
Andrade, L., O'Malley, K., Hynds, P., O'Neill, E., O'Dwyer, J. (2019) 'Assessment of two behavioural models (HBM and RANAS) for predicting health behaviours in response to environmental threats: Surface water flooding as a source of groundwater contamination and subsequent waterborne infection in the Republic of Ireland'. Science of The Total Environment, 685 :1019-1029 [DOI] [Details]
(2018) 'Development of a hierarchical model for predicting microbiological contamination of private groundwater supplies in a geologically heterogeneous region'
O'Dwyer J;Hynds PD;Byrne KA;Ryan MP;Adley CC; (2018) 'Development of a hierarchical model for predicting microbiological contamination of private groundwater supplies in a geologically heterogeneous region'. Environmental Pollution, 237 [DOI] [Details]
(2018) 'Muddy Waters: Refining the Way Forward for the “Sustainability Science” of Socio-Hydrogeology'
Hynds, P., Regan, S., Andrade, L., Mooney, S., O'Malley, K., DiPelino, S., O'Dwyer, J. (2018) 'Muddy Waters: Refining the Way Forward for the “Sustainability Science” of Socio-Hydrogeology'. Applied Water Science, 10 (9) [DOI] [Details]
(2018) 'Surface water flooding, groundwater contamination, and enteric disease in developed countries: A scoping review of connections and consequences'
Andrade L;O'Dwyer J;O'Neill E;Hynds P; (2018) 'Surface water flooding, groundwater contamination, and enteric disease in developed countries: A scoping review of connections and consequences'. Environmental Pollution, 236 [DOI] [Details]
(2018) 'Wood waste decomposition in landfills: An assessment of current knowledge and implications for emissions reporting'
O'Dwyer J;Walshe D;Byrne KA; (2018) 'Wood waste decomposition in landfills: An assessment of current knowledge and implications for emissions reporting'. Waste Management (New York, N.Y.), 73 [DOI] [Details]
(2017) 'An analysis of the microbial quality of water in a milk production plant'
Burke, N;O'Dwyer, J;Southern, M;Adley, CC (2017) 'An analysis of the microbial quality of water in a milk production plant'. Food Science And Technology-Lebensmittel-Wissenschaft & Technologie, 78 :41-46 [DOI] [Details]
(2017) 'Evaluation of levels of antibiotic resistance in groundwater-derived E-coli isolates in the Midwest of Ireland and elucidation of potential predictors of resistance'
O'Dwyer, J;Hynds, P;Pot, M;Adley, CC;Ryan, MP (2017) 'Evaluation of levels of antibiotic resistance in groundwater-derived E-coli isolates in the Midwest of Ireland and elucidation of potential predictors of resistance'. Hydrogeology Journal, 25 :939-951 [DOI] [Details]
(2017) 'A geostatistical investigation of agricultural and infrastructural risk factors associated with primary verotoxigenic E. coli (VTEC) infection in the Republic of Ireland, 2008-2013'
Óhaiseadha C;Hynds PD;Fallon UB;O'Dwyer J; (2017) 'A geostatistical investigation of agricultural and infrastructural risk factors associated with primary verotoxigenic E. coli (VTEC) infection in the Republic of Ireland, 2008-2013'. Epidemiology And Infection, 145 (1) [DOI] [Details]
(2017) 'Environmental management of tea production using joint of life cycle assessment and data envelopment analysis approaches'
Kouchaki-Penchah, H;Nabavi-Pelesaraei, A;O'Dwyer, J;Sharifi, M (2017) 'Environmental management of tea production using joint of life cycle assessment and data envelopment analysis approaches'. Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy, 36 :1116-1122 [DOI] [Details]
(2017) 'Assessment of the Bacterial Diversity of Aircraft Water: Identification of the Frequent Fliers'
Handschuh H;Ryan MP;O'Dwyer J;Adley CC; (2017) 'Assessment of the Bacterial Diversity of Aircraft Water: Identification of the Frequent Fliers'. Plos One, 12 (1) [DOI] [Details]
(2016) 'Area estimations of cultivated organic soils in Ireland: reducing GHG reporting uncertainties'
Donlan, J;O'Dwyer, J;Byrne, KA (2016) 'Area estimations of cultivated organic soils in Ireland: reducing GHG reporting uncertainties'. Mires And Peat, 18 [DOI] [Details]
(2016) 'Anthropogenic Determinants and Distribution of Verotoxigenic E. coli (VTEC) Infection in Ireland: A Geostatistical Study'
OhAiseadha, C., O'Dwyer, J., Hynds, P., Johnson, H., & Fallon, U. (2016) 'Anthropogenic Determinants and Distribution of Verotoxigenic E. coli (VTEC) Infection in Ireland: A Geostatistical Study'. Irish Journal of Medical Science, (185):534-535 [Details]
(2016) 'The impact of meteorology on the occurrence of waterborne outbreaks of vero cytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC): a logistic regression approach'
O'Dwyer J;Morris Downes M;Adley CC; (2016) 'The impact of meteorology on the occurrence of waterborne outbreaks of vero cytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC): a logistic regression approach'. Journal of Water and Health, 14 (1) [DOI] [Details]
(2015) 'Lime in the limelight'
Dowling, A., O'Dwyer, J., Adley, C. C. (2015) 'Lime in the limelight'. Journal Of Cleaner Production, 92 :13-22 [Details]
(2015) 'Bacteria that Travel: The Quality of Aircraft Water'
Handschuh H;O'Dwyer J;Adley CC; (2015) 'Bacteria that Travel: The Quality of Aircraft Water'. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12 (11) [DOI] [Details]
(2014) 'Microbiological assessment of private groundwater-derived potable water supplies in the Mid-West Region of Ireland'
O'Dwyer J;Dowling A;Adley CC; (2014) 'Microbiological assessment of private groundwater-derived potable water supplies in the Mid-West Region of Ireland'. Journal of Water and Health, 12 (2) [DOI] [Details]

Honours and Awards

  Year Title Awarding Body
2022 Appointed to Climate Change and Environmental Sciences Committee Royal Irish Academy
2021 Appointed as Deputy Director of iCRAG Science Foundation Ireland (iCRAG)
2020 Appointed as Head of Environmental Geosciences iCRAG
2020 SEFS Student-Nominated Staff Teaching Award University College Cork
2019 SEFS Student-Nominated Staff Teaching Award College of Science, Engineering and Food Science
2017 Best Oral Presentation Health Research Institute
2017 Postdoctoral Fellowship Irish Research Council
2017 Best Oral Presentation Infectious Disease Society of Ireland
2015 Best Education Blog Bloggies

Professional Associations

  Association Function From / To
Cost Action ReSToRE Management Committee 01-JAN-17 /
COST Action CA18218: European Burden of Disease Network. Management Committee 01-AUG-19 /
Environmental Science Association of Ireland Nominated Council Member 01-MAY-19 /
European Geoscience Union Member 01-NOV-17 /
Environmental Science Association of Ireland Member 01-SEP-11 /
Infectious Disease Society of Ireland Member 01-JUN-16 /

Committees

  Committee Function From / To
Education and Public Engagement Committee Member /
BEES Research Space Committee Vice-chair /

Education

  Year Institution Qualification Subject
2018 UL Graduate Certificate Teaching & Learning
2011 UL Bachelor of Science Environmental Science
2014 UL PhD Environmental Science

Outreach Activities

  Description

SoapBox Science Speaker 2018

Organiser of Environ 2021

Organiser of SoapBox Science Cork 2019

Journal Activities

  Journal Role To / From
Journal Of Environmental Management Referee -
Environmental Pollution Referee -
Waste Management Referee -
Epidemiology And Infection Referee -
International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health Referee -
Hydrogeology Journal Referee -
Environmental Research Referee -
Ecological Engineering Referee -
Journal Of Water And Health Referee -

Other Activities

  Description

Climate Ambassador  for An Taisce

Internal Collaborators

  Name Institute Country
Dr. John Weatherill Geology IRELAND
Dr. Tim Sullivan Environmental Science IRELAND
Dr. Stig Hellebust University College Cork IRELAND
Dr. Marguerite Nyhan University College Cork IRELAND

External Collaborators

  Name Organisation / Institute Country
Dr Dearbhaile Morris NUI Galway IRELAND
Dr. Liam Burke NUI Galway IRELAND
Dr. Eoin O'Neill University College Dublin IRELAND
Dr. Diana Tuomasjukka European Forest Institute FINLAND
Dr. Michael Ryan University of Limerick IRELAND
Dr. Coilin O'hAiseadha Health Protection Surveillance Centre IRELAND
Professor Catherine Adley University of Limerick IRELAND
Dr. Paul Hynds Dublin Institute of Technology IRELAND
Dr. Ken Byrne University of Limerick IRELAND