Eilis Hennessy

Summary of Eilis Hennessy

Eilis Hennessy is a Professor in the School of Psychology at University College Dublin (UCD). She holds an Orcid identifier (0000-0002-5826-6667) and is affiliated with the Newman Building in UCD's Belfield campus. Her primary research focuses on mental health stigma in children and adolescents, particularly those with chronic health conditions. She has also served in significant administrative roles, including Vice Principal for Teaching and Learning in the College of Social Sciences and Law (2014–2018), Director of the Masters in Psychological Science (2011–2018), and Head of the School of Psychology (2009–2012).

Eilis holds a BA and PhD from UCD. Her professional activities include membership in organizations like the Association for Child Psychology and Psychiatry and the British Psychological Society. She has contributed to interdisciplinary initiatives such as the UCD CHilD Research Centre, focusing on children's rights and health. Her teaching interests emphasize fostering transferrable skills and collaborative learning, with roles like module coordinator for courses on Lifespan Developmental Psychology and Youth Mental Health.

Her research has explored stigma reduction interventions, mental health literacy in schools, and the impact of the pandemic on youth mental health. Grants include funding for projects on stigma, ethics in mental health, and interdisciplinary child research. Notable publications address topics like social media stigma, self-harm interventions, and barriers to vegetable intake in disadvantaged adolescents.

Eilis has been recognized for her work through roles on committees like the Expert Advisory Group on the Early Years Strategy and the Child Development and Education Expert Panel of the National Longitudinal Study of Children in Ireland. Her contributions span academic leadership, policy impact, and community engagement.