Skip to main content

Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin

Menu Search


Trinity College Dublin By using this website you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with the Trinity cookie policy. For more information on cookies see our cookie policy.

      
Profile Photo

Dr. Esther Murphy

Research Fellow (School Office - Engineering)
      
Profile Photo

Dr. Esther Murphy

Research Fellow (School Office - Engineering)

 esmurphy@tcd.ie

 


Dr. Esther Murphy is Principal Investigator for two research projects with a focus on digital inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities based at School of Engineering's Robotics and Innovation Lab. 1) EIT Health funded "Digi-ID: accessible digital skills education programme for people with intellectual disabilities" (Two Education Innovation Awards; 2021; 2022-24) 2) IRC New Foundations study "Questions of Inclusion; what inclusion means for people with intellectual disabilities". Research interests include: digital inclusion, user centred design, accessibility, social inclusion and person-centred planning, mental health & well being and inclusive education across the life cycle. Esther holds a PhD in Disability Studies and MA in Intercultural Studies from Dublin City University. Esther has 15 years experience in social science, disability health and inclusive technology research, teaching and practice in academia and non-governmental sectors. Esther has designed and led as P.I several EU and national inclusive multidisciplinary research projects with awards in excess of €2.5 million and has 45+ peer reviewed journal publications. Previously at the Centre for Inclusive Technology and TCD's School of Education Esther was Co-PI for an Erasmus + 2 year funded project 'Digital Champions in Europe' which led to the co-creation of a peer support platform for people with disabilities to enhance digital literacy and competence with assistive technologies. Esther also previously worked as a postdoctoral researcher at TCD's School of Education, supervising Masters in Special Education students and leading a range of inclusive education events; such as, the HEA funded inaugural digital inclusion workshop for students with visual impairment. Esther has also worked as P.I. for two Association for Higher Education Access & Disability (AHEAD) funded national projects; Giving voice to blind and visually impaired students transition experiences, addressing gaps in policy and provision (2014) and Mental Health Matters: Mapping Best Practices in Higher Education (2016) with the National Learning Network. Esther has also lectured and designed Research Methods modules for the Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities. Esther joined Trinity Centre for Ageing & Intellectual Disability in 2017 where she contributed to a number of national projects; HRB funded systematic review of the impact of desinstitutionalization on quality of life and costs for people with intellectual disabilities and NDA funded study on the impact of person centred planning on achieving social integration goals. Most recently Esther led a statistical analysis study of IDS-TILDA data to explore the relationship between technology and social inclusion. She worked on a partnership project with Stewarts Care Services to evaluate the use of a navigation app (WayToB) for adults with intellectual disabilities to enhance health and social inclusion outcomes.
Project Title
 Digi-ID Plus
From
1-01-22
To
31-12-24
Summary
Interdisciplinary Pan EU 3 year programme to address the challenge of digital inclusion of people with accessibility needs.
Funding Agency
EIT Health
Project Title
 Digi-ID- co creating digital skills education with and for people with intellectual disabilities
From
7-1-21
To
31-12-21
Summary
The Digi-ID is an interdisciplinary Pan- European project which aims to co-create an accessible digital skills education solution with and for people with intellectual disabilities.
Funding Agency
EIT Health
Project Type
Digital inclusion
Project Title
 Questions of Inclusion: what inclusion means for adults with an intellectual disability in Ireland (INCLU-ID)
From
1st May 2020
To
December 31st 2021
Summary
A collaborative study involving the Trinity Centre of Ageing with an Intellectual Disability, the National Federation of Voluntary Service Providers and the Inclusive Research Network will explore with adults with ID and with Inclusion Champions 'Questions of Inclusion'. Dr. Murphy(P.I) and co-researchers with ID will lead focus groups to (i) identify inclusion and exclusion experiences of people with ID; (ii) explore if/how/where/when people with ID want to be included; and (iii) identify the supports, in particular technology, needed to improve inclusion. Specific emphasis on investigating the role of technology for inclusion. World Café style workshops will also explore strategies and tools to support inclusion with multi-stakeholder Inclusion Champions.Approach . Inclusive: of adults with ID, has long term impact and sustainability by engaging them both as research subjects and as paid co-researchers, via recruitment with Partners. . Qualitative: a qualitative approach is best suited to in-depth exploration of the experiences and views of persons with ID. . Transformative: providing the data will foster a network to support follow-on applications that can improve social and digital inclusion for people with ID as they age.
Funding Agency
Irish Research Council
Programme
New Foundations, Strand 1: Engaging civic society
Person Months
18

Language Skill Reading Skill Writing Skill Speaking
English Fluent Fluent Fluent
French Medium Medium Medium
Spanish Fluent Fluent Fluent
Chadwick, D., Ågren, K.A., Caton, S., Chiner, E., Danker, J.,Gomez-Puerta, M., Heitplatz, V., Johansson, S.,Normand, C. L., Murphy, E., Plichta, P., Strnadova,I., & Wallén, E. F, Digital inclusion andparticipation of people with intellectual disabilitiesduring COVID-19: A rapid review andinternational bricolage., Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, (Special Issue), 2022, p1 - 15, Notes: [https://doi.org/10.1111/jppi.12410], Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Keogh, B., Murphy, E., Doyle, L., Sheaf, G., Watts, M. & Higgins, A., Mental Health Service Users Experiences of Medication Discontinuation: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies , Journal of Mental Health, 31, (2), 2022, p227 - 238, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text  DOI
Murphy, E., Dennehy, H., Bakker, A., Oppewal, A., Bowman, S. and Burke, E., Promoting engagement during a pandemic, advancing the health andwellbeing of individuals with intellectual disabilities, IASSIDD 6th European Congress, Value Diversity, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 5th - 8th July 2021, 2021, IASSIDD, Invited Talk, PUBLISHED  DOI  URL
Burke E, Dennehy H, Bakker A, Bowman S, Murphy E, Maes-Festen D., McCallion, P., McCarron, M, and Oppewal A., The Methodological Approach to the Co-Creation of Online Health Education with and for Individuals with Intellectual Disability, Global Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities, 7, (5), 2021, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text  DOI  URL
McCausland, D., Luus, R., McCallion, P., Murphy, E., & McCarron, M., The impact of COVID-19 on the social inclusion of older adults with an intellectual disability during the first wave of the pandemic in Ireland, Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 2021, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
Watts, M. Murphy, E., Keogh, B., Downes, C., Doyle, L., Higgins, A., Deciding to discontinue prescribed psychotropic medication: a qualitative study of service users' experiences, International Journal of Mental Health Nursing , 30, (SI), 2021, p1395 - 1406, Notes: [ ], Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
McCausland, D., McCallion, P., Murphy, E., Luus, R., & McCarron, M., The impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the social inclusion and well-being of older people with an intellectual disability in Ireland, Trinity Health and Education International Research Conference 2021 (THEconf2021): 'Transforming healthcare in a changing world: new ways of thinking and working', Dublin, 9th - 11th March, 2021, Oral Presentation, PUBLISHED  URL
Murphy, E., McCausland, D., Korfage, I., Flygare Wallen, E., Koster, R., McCallion, P., & McCarron, M., Digi-ID: Digital Skills education to support better health and well being and social inclusion outcomes for adults with intellectual disabilities (ID), Trinity Health and Education International Research Conference 2021 (THEconf2021): 'Transforming healthcare in a changing world: new ways of thinking and working', Dublin, 9th - 11th March, 2021, Oral Presentation, PUBLISHED  URL
Burke, EA., Bowman, S., Murphy, E., Oppewal, A., McCallion, P., and McCarron M., Get Wise About Your Health, Supporting people with intellectual disability to be health savvy: Sharing preliminary findings from public engagement and involvement in research , Trinity Health and Education International Research Conference: Integrated Health Care Developing Integrated Person-Centered Health Systems, TheConfo2020, Trinity College Dublin, 2020, Conference Paper, PUBLISHED
Murphy, E. Donohue, G. McCann, E., Exploring mental health issues through the use of blogs: a scoping review of the research evidence, Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 41, 2020, p296 - 305, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text  DOI
  

Page 1 of 5
Murphy, E, "Our Lives: Our Way: Adults with Intellectual Disabilities as Innovators", Debating Ageing Series 'Ageing into the Future', Conway Lecture theatre at the Conway Institute at UCD, 29th May , 2019, Invited Talk, PUBLISHED
Murphy, E, Social and digital inclusion for older adults with ID: Lessons learnt from the IDS TILDA study, National Advocacy Group Regional Training Event, Talbot hotel Carlow, 21/10/19, 2019, Invited Talk, PUBLISHED
McCausland, D, Murphy, E, McCallion, P, McCarron, M, Assessing the impact of person‐centred planning on community integration for adults with intellectual disabilities in Ireland , IASSID European Congress, Athens, Greece, 2018, Published Abstract, PUBLISHED
Higgins, A., Murphy, E., Sheaf, G., Doyle, L. & Keogh, B., Mental Health Service Users' Experiences of Coming off Medication: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies, Trinity College Dublin , 2018, Report, PUBLISHED
Murphy, E, "Mental Health Matters for International Students", ICOS Annual Seminar: Reaching out to International Students How can student counselling and wellbeing services become more accessible and inclusive?, Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, 15/06/17, 2017, ICOS, Invited Talk, PUBLISHED
Murphy, E, "Mental Health Matters: How UDL benefits students with mental health difficulties in higher education", AHEAD Annual Conference, Croke Park Dublin, 13-14 March , 2017, AHEAD, Invited Talk, PUBLISHED
Murphy, E, "What about the needs of Migrants with Disabilities in Transition Planning?" , Trinity College Dublin's Symposium 'Transitioning to work for students with Disabilities", Trinity College Centre for Health Science, Trinity College Dublin, 25/06/16, 2016, Trinity College Dublin, Invited Talk, PRESENTED
Murphy, E, DigiPlace4all: Where are we now and future sustainability, DigiPlace4all Seminar: Enabling Access to Education and Employment - Digital strategies for sustainable community building, Marker Hotel, Grand Canal Dock, Dublin, 18/09/16, 2016, Oral Presentation, PUBLISHED
Murphy, E, "Digital Inclusion: Access challenges for Blind/VI students accessing third level education". New Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning Post Workshop Report, Higher Education Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning, 2013, Report, PUBLISHED
Murphy, E, "Understanding the barriers and facilitators for delivering disability services for migrants in Ireland", DCU Lunchtime Research Seminar Series, Dublin City University. , DCU, May 2012, 2012, Invited Talk, PRESENTED

  


Page 1 of 2
Award Date
EIT Health Education (P.I) 2022-2024
EIT Health Campus Award (P.I) 2021
Irish Research Council New Foundations Award (P.I) 6/5/20- 31/3/22
Enterprise Ireland DigiAcademy Feasibility Study (P.I) 11-05-22
Enterprise Ireland Travel Grant 2018
Erasmus + Leonardo Life Long Learning Project Coordinator Grant 2013-2015
Erasmus + Leonardo Life Long Learning Project Coordinator Grant 2016
EIT Health Citizen Engagement Booster Award 30-05-22
Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Grant Scheme 2017
Higher Education Authority Teaching and Learning Enhancement Seminar Grant 2012