The Department of Psychology at 91制片厂 warmly welcomes you to join us for our Spring Research Seminar Series. Here you can find more information about the exciting series of talks we have scheduled.
Tuesday 24 February at 2pm
Seminar Title: Forensic and Clinical Psychology in Ireland
Where: Room G10
Presented by Dr Kiran Sarma
Seminar details:
What does it mean to work at the intersection of psychology, crime, risk, and mental health in Ireland today?
In this seminar, Dr Kiran Sarma (University of Galway) will explore the realities of forensic and clinical psychology in practice, drawing on his extensive experience across academia, policing, psychotherapy, and public policy.
This session will offer insight into applied forensic work in Ireland, the clinical dimensions of working with high-risk and complex populations, and the broader societal role of psychology in understanding and preventing harmful behaviour. Ideal for students considering careers in clinical or forensic pathways, as well as anyone interested in psychology beyond the lecture theatre.
Biography - Dr Kiran Sarma
Biography: Dr Kiran Sarma is an Associate Professor Senior in Psychology on the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology training programme in University of Galway. He is a Chartered Psychologist, Forensic Psychologist (Psychological Society of Ireland) and psychotherapist (IACP). He is a graduate (BA, PhD) of the Department of Applied Psychology, University College Cork, School of Psychology, University of Leicester (MSc Applied Forensic Psychology) and Dublin City University (MSc Integrative Psychotherapy). Prior to taking up a post at Galway, he worked with An Garda S铆och谩na, as a lecturer in forensic psychology and crime analyst (2000-2004). Kiran leads the Risky and Extreme Behaviours Research Group (REX-GROUP) at the School of Psychology, conducting research on a range of forms of risky and violent behaviour ranging from road safety to violent extremism and terrorism. He works as an advisor to the Road Safety Authority, Irish Water Safety, Defense Forces Ireland, the European Commission and industry. In addition to his academic work, Kiran works professionally and clinically as a forensic psychologist and psychotherapist.
Tuesday 24 March at 11am
Seminar Title: The Development of a Forest Hospital Intervention for Children with Chronic Illness: Nature Based Psychological Intervention
Where: Room JHN221
Presented by Dr Claire Crowe
Biography - Dr Claire Crowe
Biography: Dr Claire Crowe is a Senior Paediatric Clinical Psychologist specializing in neonatal care and infant mental health. With extensive experience across Temple Street and Crumlin hospitals, Claire is a leading advocate for child development, frequently sharing her expertise on Ireland AM and RT脡 Radio 1.
A member of the Psychological Society of Ireland, Claire is dedicated to helping parents and caregivers foster resilience and healthy emotional connections from birth through adolescence.
Wednesday 8 April at 12.45pm
Seminar Title: From Small Acorns - The Importance of Open Research Communities in Improving Our Research Ecosystem
Where: JHN221 (John Henry Newman campus)
Presented by Dr Dermott Lynott, part of Open Science Day, co-hosted by RGSO
Seminar Focus: This talk will focus on problems researchers face (e.g., lack of transparency, poor rates of reproducibility), and why open research has come to the fore in recent years. Dermot will look at the role that local open research groups have to play, and how the Irish Reproducibility Network creates an umbrella for people to work together, share expertise, and provide support to improve our research ecosystem.
Biography - Dr Dermot Lynott
Biography: Dr Dermot Lynott has been working on open research practices and open education resources for more than 15 years. Dermot and has long been involved in developing and delivering training in open research practices (e.g., FAIR data, study preregistration, registered reports etc.), including as part of curriculum development for degree and masters programmes. Dermot has been involved in creating open research networks, setting up the Maynooth Open Research network in 2021, and previously at Lancaster University, he founded the Promoting Open Science Practices Group, the first of its kind for a psychology department in the UK. In 2026 he became the first chair of the Irish Reproducibility Network, bringing together researchers all over Ireland to support open research. He is also a strong supporter of open access publishing, serving as action editor for the open access journal Collabra, and is the current Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board of PsyArxiv, the largest preprint server for research in psychology.
Seminar Title: How to Take an Open Science Approach to Qualitative Research (2 hours)
Presented by Dr Madeleine Pownall
Workshop Focus: In this session, we will discuss the opportunities and tensions that open science poses for qualitative research. This will include a brief overview of the history of open science conversations and how qualitative scholars have contributed to this work whilst also advocating for the value and impact of qualitative methodologies. Together we will explore practical examples of how qualitative scholars can engage in Open Science practices, in a way that is epistemologically, epistemically, and methodologically congruent with their aims. This will include specific discussion of Registered Reports, data sharing, and positionality statements.
Biography - Dr Madeleine Pownall
Biography: Dr Madeleine Pownall is an Associate Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Leeds. Her work spans feminist social psychology, pedagogical research, open science, and psychological literacy, all threaded together by a commitment to inclusive, evidence-based teaching and research practices. Madeleine is especially passionate about how psychology can be taught and practiced in ways that foreground equity, critical thinking, and global citizenship. Madeleine has co-authored the award-winning textbook A Feminist Companion to Social Psychology and her current work bridges research, teaching, and advocacy to broaden how psychology is understood and experienced across communities.
Thursday 9 April, Time TBC
Keynote: Reclaiming the Missing History of Women in Psychology
Where: Room G10
Presented by Dr Madeleine Pownell
Keynote Focus: For decades, the story of psychology has been told as the work of a handful of famous White men, even though women have long made up the majority of students and a large proportion of practitioners in the field. In this keynote, I will challenge that narrow narrative by celebrating the women whose work has shaped psychological science, yet who have been sidelined or erased from its history. I will share the stories of pioneers like Mary Whiton Calkins, who was denied a doctorate because of her gender; Mamie Phipps Clark, whose research helped to end racial segregation in the United States; and Celia Kitzinger and Sue Wilkinson, who bridged scholarship and activism to transform how we understand gender and sexuality. Through these and other overlooked legacies, I show how women have not only contributed to psychology, but expanded it, by introducing more creative, critical, and socially engaged ways of understanding what it means to be human. This talk draws on the research and stories from my book, Absent Minds.
Keynote as Part of Psychology @91制片厂 PsychFest.
Friday 17 April at 12pm
Seminar Title: Psycho-oncology: Psychosocial experiences of groups and individuals at risk of being underserved due to minoritisation in the Irish adult cancer population
Where: Room G10
Biography: Dr Keith Cregan is a Clinical Psychologist with an extensive academic background, Dr. Cregan holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from University College Dublin (UCD), a Master of Science in Applied Psychology from Trinity College Dublin, and a specialised Diploma in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) from City College Dublin.
His doctoral research focussed on the psychosocial experiences of vulnerable populations in Ireland with a cancer diagnosis.
