Pauline Boland

Dr. Pauline Boland is an Associate Professor at the University of Limerick's School of Allied Health and a member of the Ageing Research Centre. With over 15 years of clinical experience as an occupational therapist specializing in complex neurological conditions, she maintains active research and teaching roles while accepting PhD students.

Education

• Masters in Teaching Learning and Scholarship (University of Limerick, 2024)
• PhD in Equipment use after stroke (University of Otago, 2016)
• Masters in Coping with Multiple Sclerosis as a couple (University of Otago, 2011)
• Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Trinity College Dublin, 2001)

Her research centers on maximizing community participation for people with progressive conditions through evidence-based approaches. Key themes include stroke rehabilitation, interprofessional education, patient perspectives in equipment use, and resilience in chronic illness management. She employs participatory methodologies emphasizing lived experience and co-design, particularly evident in her recent stroke patient involvement panel development and delirium education projects.

Her 81 research outputs since 2008 show consistent productivity, with recent focus on digital health resources, network modeling of geriatric mental health, and transnational interprofessional education. Current projects demonstrate strong alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health and wellbeing.

Scientific Awards

• Education and Health Sciences Faculty Teaching Excellence Award (2023)
• Best Emerging Researcher Prize (2011)
• Best Post-graduate Neurology Abstract Prize (2012)
• Best Overall Result in Research Methods (2009)
• Health Research Council Scholarship (2010)

As an active member of the Association of Occupational Therapy in Ireland and reviewer for the Irish Journal of Occupational Therapy, she contributes significantly to professional development. Her transatlantic virtual case study collaborations demonstrate commitment to innovative interprofessional training. She has supervised numerous research projects related to neurological rehabilitation, goal setting, and community program evaluation.

Her work bridges clinical practice and academia through lived experience of working across Ireland, Scotland, Australia, and New Zealand, maintaining strong connections with both healthcare services and academic institutions globally.