Dr. Tomás Russell (co-director) is an Assistant Professor of Agricultural Extension and Innovation at the UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science. He is program director for the Masters of Agricultural Extension and Innovation. His research focuses on farmer behavior change, farmer mental health, digital agriculture and farm succession and inheritance. Dr Russell is a founding member of the Agri Mental Health Group.
View Profile
Professor Louise McHugh (co-director) is a professor of Psychology at University College Dublin. She is a world leading expert in Behavioural Science and Process Based Therapy. She has published over 100 papers and two books in the area. Most relevant to the Agri Mental Health research group is her research in the area of farmer mental health and suicide risk, the development of interventions for farmer mental health and message reframing work on climate change communication. Her work has been funded by national and international funding bodies. Professor McHugh is the Director of the UCD CBS lab and a founding member of the Agri Mental Health Group.
View Profile
Martin O’Connor is a clinical psychologist working in Primary Care Psychology Services with people in rural communities across the lifespan. He is also an adjunct Lecturer / Assistant Professor at the UCD School of Psychology. Martin has completed the UCD School of Psychology PhD Research Programme and Doctoral Programme in Clinical Psychology. Martin’s research interests include evaluating the efficacy of psychological interventions and investigating their processes of change.
Dr Alison Stapleton is a Chartered Psychologist of the Psychological Society of Ireland, Postdoctoral Fellow at Smithsfield Clinic and University College Dublin, and a Lecturer in Psychology at Dublin Business School and the Institute of Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy. Alison coordinates the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) Neurodiversity-Affirming Research and Practice Special Interest Group (SIG), served on the Steering Committee for the ACBS Relational Frame Theory SIG, and currently works at ACT Now Purposeful Living, a leading provider of ACT training in Ireland. Alison regularly delivers national and international level trainings, and has experience working in psychological services to identify, accommodate, and support a range of neurotypes.
View Profile
Dr. Deirdre O’Connor is Associate Dean for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and a lecturer in Resource Economics in the School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin. Her research and teaching interests include agricultural and rural policy analysis, with particular reference to the impact of EU policy on rural communities; social farming and green care in the Irish and European context and food policy – especially the issue of food poverty in Ireland. She was awarded a UCD Values in Action Award in 2020 for her work on raising awareness about Invisible Disabilities.
View Profile