Research Associates
Professor Daniel W. Russell
Institute for Social & Behavioral Research
Department of Human Development & Family Studies
Iowa State University
Tel: (515)-294-7081
E-mail: drussell@iastate.edu
Web page: http://www.isbr.iastate.edu/staff/Personals/drussell/
Prof. Russell worked at the Child & Family Research Centre from January to March 2010. During this time, he led the statistical analysis of data from the Big Brothers Big Sisters RCT evaluation and also provided support to the research team working on the Barnardos Wizard of Words evaluation around issues of design and analysis. Prof. Russell also provided training to CFRC staff members on advanced quantitative techniques, including structural equation modelling and factor analysis.
Prof. Daniel Russell is currently conducting research in several different areas related to loneliness and social support. One set of laboratory-based experimental studies deals with the role of attribution processes in the provision and perception of social support. These studies have indicated causal explanations for why an individual who is providing you with support influences your satisfaction with that supportive behavior. This is true in both interactions with a stranger and with a close friend or a dating partner. Experimental manipulations of causal explanations for supportive behavior have led to differences between groups in satisfaction with social support. Current studies are examining how causal attributions for the source of the problem are related to attributions for supportive behavior. Future studies will focus on using this information to develop methods for enhancing the perceptions of support among stressed populations.
Professor Robert Chaskin
Chapin Hall, Centre for Children, University of Chicago.
Fulbright Senior Specialist visiting CFRC June 21st - July 26th 2008
Robert Chaskin is a Chapin Hall Research Fellow and an Associate Professor at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration. He oversees Chapin Hall's community research and its International Program for Children's Policy Research. Dr. Chaskin's research focuses primarily on the role of community and community-based efforts to improve the lives of children and families. He has been principal investigator for the national evaluation of the Ford Foundation's Neighborhood and Family Initiative and for a series of studies on approaches to neighborhood-based governance as a mechanism to promote community development and improve the lives of children and families. Dr. Chaskin's work explores how to operationalize and measure the capacity of communities to promote social change and community development. Dr. Chaskin holds a masters degree in anthropology and a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Chicago.
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Policy Fellows:
Dr Celia Keenaghan
Visiting Research and Policy Fellow
Child and Family Research Centre NUIG
Tel: 00 353 71 9174780
Fax:00 353 71 9138335
E-mail:Celia.Keenaghan@hse.ie
Postal Address: Room 16, St. Angela's College, Lough Gill, Sligo.
Celia Keenaghan is Principal Research Officer with the HSE Population Health Children and Young People's Team. Previous research posts have been with Best Health for Children, the Public Health Department in the North West and as an independent social research consultant serving a range of voluntary and statutory agencies and groups. She is a social science graduate from UCD and holds an MA in Communications Studies from DCU and a PhD from QUB. Current research interests include children and young people's health, youth participation, public consultation in public health and research ethics. She chairs the Child Health Research Forum and is a research fellow with NUIG Child and Family Research Centre.
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Research Fellows:
Michelle Millar
Room 315,
Floor 2, Aras Moyola,
NUI, Galway.
Tel: 353 (0)91 493634
Email: michelle.millar@nuigaway.ie
Dr Michelle Millar has extensive expertise in funded social policy research and analysis. She is a Senior Lecturer in Public and Social Policy at the School of Political Science and Sociology, NUI Galway.
Michelle was the Principal Investigator of the Child and Family Research Centre study on the Labour Market needs and Social Inclusion of One parent Families in Galway City and County project. She is currently the Principal Investigator of the Evaluation of the Incredible Years Programme in Galway City and Co-Principal Investigator with Professor Brigid Featherstone of the Evaluation of the Triple P Parenting Programme in Longford and Westmeath.
Her journal articles have appeared in Social Science and Medicine, International Journal of Social Research Methodology, Administration, Public Administration, International Review of Administrative Science, Irish Medical Journal, Journal of Public Money and Management, Public Policy and Administration.
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Brian McGrath
Room 322, Floor 2,
Aras Moyola,
NUI, Galway.
Tel.: 353 (0)91 493405
Email:brian.mcgrath@nuigalway.ie
Brian is the Programme Director for the MA in Community Development at the School of Political Science and Sociology. He contributes to the teaching programme and research supervision of the three taught MAs (Community Development, Social Work and Family Support) as well as undergraduate teaching. Currently, he is engaged in a research project focusing on the migration experiences of the Brazilian community living in Gort, Co Galway. He is also working on a comparative research project, with colleagues at the University of Florida, concerning social support, community perceptions and well-being among adolescents in Ireland and Florida. As a Research Collaborator with the Health Behaviour in School Aged Children (HBSC) research programme (http://www.hbsc.org/countries/ireland.html) he is also examining some of the rural and urban dimensions emerging from this data, in the areas of friendships, perceptions of place, family composition and education.
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Visiting Fellows:
The following visiting faculty are planned for Summer 2008:
Professor Mark Brennan,
Department of Family, Youth, and Community Sciences
The University of Florida
May 14th - June 20th 2008
Dr. Brennan’s teaching, research, writing, and program development concentrates on the role of local level action in the youth, community, and rural development process. Among his areas of specialization include: Community Development, Rural Sociology, Research Methods and Statistics, Social Change, and Natural Resource Sociology. He has over 15 years experience designing, conducting, and analyzing social science research related to community and development. He has conducted extensive comparative research throughout the United States, Ireland, and Japan. Dr. Brennan’s research has resulted in over 60 publications in peer-reviewed journals, books, reports, over 60 presentations at professional meetings, and 34 Cooperative Extension outreach fact sheets. All have been translated into teaching and Extension curriculum to facilitate the transfer of knowledge to a wider citizen audience. He has served as chair/co-chair on a variety of national committees and guest editor of journal special issues focusing on a variety of community and natural resource related topics. He was awarded the 2008 University of Florida Richard Jones Outstanding Faculty Research Award.
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