Tipperary native, Conor Hammersley, received his Doctor of Philosophy award from SETU after completing his research into men’s health through the National Center for Men’s Health.
Fulbright recipient
During the last year of his PhD, Conor was awarded a Fulbright scholarship, a merit-based scholarship awarded to accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists, and professionals of all backgrounds and fields. Recipients study, teach, conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to complex global challenges. The Fulbright programme is an international academic exchange program aimed to increase mutual understanding and support relations between the United States and more than 160 other countries.
With this scholarship, Conor studied at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University in New York, allowing him to expand on his research. Conor’s PhD research focused on ‘the mental health among the farming community in Ireland and how evolving sociocultural dynamics influence mental health outcomes and help-seeking behaviour’.
Conor stated, “My Fulbright project allowed me to expand the scope of my PhD research. I could conduct a comparative analysis between my work in Ireland and the different challenges faced by farmers in New York State.”
Starting his research journey
After completing both his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in the areas of health and exercise, Conor was interested in working in a research position in men’s health at SETU. It was only after some guidance and support from a lecturer at SETU on the PhD programme, that Conor successfully applied to continue his research career at the University.
When speaking about this decision, Conor shared, “Dr Noel Richardson, the Lecturer and Director of HealthCORE at SETU, gave me some helpful feedback and advice. He mentioned a PhD program launching in 2019 at the University and something just clicked for me. By September I was starting my PhD.”
Supervisor support
Throughout his time researching at SETU, Conor found the support of his supervisor, Dr Noel Richardson, to be the most beneficial. Conor shared, “He was a brilliant supervisor. He was supportive, direct, and always willing to meet me where I was with my research.”
With a passionate supervisor backing him all the way, Conor found that the research moved beyond an academic task, stating, “He had a way of making research feel meaningful, it was more than an academic exercise.”
The SETU community
Reflecting on his time studying in Carlow, Conor shared, “One of the best things about SETU is the people. In particular, the Sport and Health Sciences department. It had a great atmosphere, and I always felt supported.”
Conor continued, “The postgraduate studies team at the time made the whole experience a lot more enjoyable. Whether it was discussing research, figuring things out together, or just having a bit of a laugh, it was great to be a part of that group.”
Returning to New York
Since finishing his PhD, Conor has returned to New York to continue his research. Conor now works as a Senior Research Investigator at the New York Centre for Agricultral Medicine and Health and a Lecturer in the Department of Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia University.
