University of Limerick (UL)

Location

University of Limerick 
Physical Activity for Health Research Centre (PAfH)  
Health Research Institute (HRI)
Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences (PESS)
Faculty of Education and Health Sciences 
V94 T9PX, Limerick, Ireland

Our Research

PAfH has 13 core members, comprising senior, mid- and early-career researchers.  Information on PAfH aims and objectives and on members, divided into core, research staff, postgraduates and associate members is available at: www.ul.ie/ehs/pafh.  PAfH has established multiple research collaborations across its five thematic areas, spanning the globe.   

Since its establishment in 2019, PAfH core members (N=9 to 2021, expanded to 13 in 2022) are Principal Investigators on international (e.g. Horizon, Cost Action, Marie Curie Fellowships) and national (Health Research Board, Science Foundation Ireland, Irish Research Council, Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland, Health Services Executive) research grants, and collaborators on many more. The PAfH core members, as principle investigators, have generated €6.6 million to UL (€13.6 million total grant income) from 2020-2023. PAfH has five inter-linking focus areas:

• Measurement, surveillance and Determinants of PA,
• Biomedicine of PA,
• PA and Exercise as Medicine,
• Policy Impact and Implementation of Effective Interventions and
• Sustainable Mobility.

Our research is cross-sectoral in public health, community, healthcare, sports and school settings, and across the lifespan, from children to older people.

Our IMPAQT team 

Prof. Woods is lead of the IMPAQT project and Director of the Physical Activity for Health Research Centre (PAfH) at the University of LImerick, Ireland. Dr. Kevin Volf MMSc PhD is a postdoctoral researcher, and his research has focused on physical activity policy with emphasis on implementation. His prior research experience includes work on the Move for Life (MfL) and Policy Evaluation Network (PEN) projects.  Dr. Anna Barrero is a postdoctoral researcher on IMPAQT with an interest in sustainability and PA.  Prof. Aurelie Van Hoye is jointly located in UL (adjunct Prof) and in the University of Lorraine, she brings physical activity policy implementation in local contexts to the team.