Dr Sally Whelan is a Post Doctoral Researcher in the Health Promotion Research Centre (HPRC). She leads and undertakes knowledge translation, research dissemination and impact activities in the HPRC. This work includes creating policy and practice briefs for the dissemination of HPRC research projects, and supporting HPRC researchers to use knowledge translation tools in their work. Sally conducts research developing knowledge translation frameworks and tools for funding applications and she works with knowledge users, members of the public, and service providers, throughout the research process.

Previously she worked at the Irish Centre for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Research (ICAN). In this role she coordinated the Irish branch of the EU Horizon 2020 GEMMA project and co-supervised undergraduate and postgraduate research conducted in ICAN. Sally has a long-standing professional and personal interest in autism and she is committed to research that increases understanding how the gut microbiome impacts the well-being of autistic people and how assistive technologies can be used to promote wellbeing and resilience.

Sally has many years experience working as a registered nurse and nurse tutor in both hospital and community healthcare settings. She has a BA (Hons) in Applied Social Science with Health Visiting, an MSC in Social Sciences, an MA in Nurse Education, and a PhD in Nursing. Her doctoral studies focused on how assistive technologies can promote the resilience and well-being of people with dementia.

Sally's research focuses on knowledge translation for health promotion, autism, dementia, and neurodevelopmental conditions. She is interested in how knowledge can be created to positively impact the well-being of individuals and society. She is also intested in how assistive technology can beused by individuals to support well-being, quality of life, and resilience.

2021- Present. Teaching and Supervision of undergraduate and graduate students undertaking qualitative research and evidence synthesis. Teaching on PG Dip Gerontology/PG Dip Public Health Nursing.

2015 - 2021. Tutor Clinical Education Post Graduate Diploma. Dept. of General Practice University ofGalway. Responsible for curriculum development, online teaching, workshop facilitation, student assessment, and administration of two modules: Clinical Teaching Methods and Foundations of Assessment.