Tell us a little bit about yourself
My name is Jade, I am originally from Longford but have been living in Limerick now for the past seven years. My PhD is in the field of psychology, but outside of that my interests include playing Gaelic football, dancing, musical theatre, and travel.

Can you tell us about your current research and its potential future impact on health?
My research explores social-emotional interventions to support the wellbeing of adolescent migrant girls, aiming to develop a scalable school-based narrative intervention. Using a participatory health research approach, this study actively engages adolescent migrant girls, educators, and the wider community in co-designing an intervention that addresses adolescent migrant girls’ specific wellbeing needs. By centring the migrant youth voice and fostering meaningful collaboration with a youth advisory panel, this research will potentially have a profound impact on the mental health and wellbeing of adolescent girls from migrant backgrounds living in Ireland. The findings from my research have the potential to inform school-based mental health policies, ensuring more effective, sustainable support for migrant youth in the Irish education system.

What challenges have you faced in your career to-date, and how have you overcome them?
I started my PhD without funding, which meant working evenings and weekends to keep everything going. Juggling work and research was exhausting, and at times, burnout felt inevitable. It was tough, but I kept pushing forward, knowing how important my research was. Thankfully, I was lucky to receive Research Ireland funding, which took a huge weight off my shoulders and allowed me to focus fully on my work. That experience taught me a lot about resilience and the importance of balancing ambition with self-care.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received, and how has it influenced your career?
The best advice I’ve ever received came from my supervisor - she always says, ‘It will all get done in the end.’ That simple reassurance has been a lifeline whenever I’ve felt overwhelmed or on the edge of burnout. Working in wellbeing research can be ironic—you’re so focused on helping others that you forget to look after yourself. Her advice reminds me to take a step back, trust the process, and prioritise my own wellbeing too. It’s made a huge difference in how I approach my work.

Is there a woman researcher who has supported you during your career or someone inspirational?
Both of my supervisors, Dr Jennifer McMahon and Dr Anca Minescu - they do such amazing work in their areas and have been great mentors throughout my time in UL.