International Health Promoting Campuses Conference (IHPCC) 2025
Postgraduate Researchers’ Hub (PGR Hub)
NEW - Click here for our PGR Researchers Spotlight series
The International Health Promoting Campuses Conference (IHPC) is a pivotal event dedicated to advancing the health and well-being of academic communities worldwide. Central to the success of this conference is the Postgraduate Researchers’ Hub, a group tasked with representing the diverse perspectives of students. The student body is arguably the most significant stakeholder in health-promoting initiatives on campuses. This committee serves as a bridge between the student body and the conference organisers, ensuring that the concerns, ideas, and innovative solutions proposed by students are given due consideration and prominence.
Active participation from the PGR Hub will enhance the relevance and effectiveness IHPC 2025 activities. By prioritising student voices, the conference aims to ensure that the proposed health promoting solutions are not only theoretically sound but also practically applicable and widely accepted.
We wish to engage with the student body BEFORE the event to:
1. Contribute to the Charter Renewal process, by engaging with surveys and focus groups
2. Gauge interest in PGR workshops / networking events for IHPC 2025 in Limerick
3. Collaborative planning sessions for the scientific and social programme
4. Marketing activities
DURING the event we propose that PGR members might:
1. Contribute to panels and discussions in the scientific programme
2. Create and host opportunities for networking
3. Provide real-time feedback mechanisms from students
4. Contribute to facilitating the Charter Renewal participatory events during IHPC 2025
The conference presents a valuable opportunity for postgraduate researchers and students to showcase their contributions to the field of health promotion. PGRs can present their research, share methodologies, discuss findings, and engage in critical discussions with peers and experts. This exchange of knowledge not only validates their work but also fosters a collaborative environment conducive to innovation and improvement in health-promoting practices. The IHPC 2025 conference at the University of Limerick aims to facilitate the building of a robust network of professionals, researchers, and fellow students. These connections can extend beyond the conference, offering ongoing support, collaboration opportunities, and a platform for sharing resources and advancements in the field.
We welcome participation in the PGR Hub from any interested graduate researchers. Aoife Noonan (available via email at PGRHub_IHPC@ul.ie) is the local contact and coordinator of the PGR Hub. Once we have a committee assembled, online meetings will be monthly at a time convenient to most.
Over the next few weeks, we will be spotlighting our PG Researchers, who are driving our PGR Hub participation. We are delighted to introduce you to our Hub leaders:
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IHPCC PGR Hub: Early Career Professional Spotlight
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Aoife Noonan
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Tell us about your research:
I am a third year structured PhD researcher with an M.A. in psychology and a B.A. in psychology and Spanish at the University of Limerick. My PhD focuses on health promotion in higher education settings, which encompasses contributing to the advancement of the Okanagan Charter.
What are you looking forward to at the International Health Promoting Campuses conference?
As a member of the local organising committee, I look forward to seeing all the plans and preparations coming to life, meeting the national and international delegates in person, and learning from the sessions and workshops.
What is one piece of advice you would give to other early career researchers?
A PhD is a rollercoaster—some days everything clicks and other days, it feels you are stuck. Keep going, ask for help, and don’t dwell on the lows. Progress over perfection.
Tell us about a hobby you have outside of your work:
Outside of my PhD, I train as a long-distance runner. Grateful to have had opportunities to meet like-minded people and participate in national and international marathons over the last few years.
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Kathleen McNally​
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​Tell us about your research:
As a research assistant with the Healthy UL and International Health Promoting Campuses conference team I am collaborating with the Healthy Campus movement on a national and international scale to advance the Okanagan Charter: An International Charter for Health Promoting University and Colleges. The research uses participatory, co-creation methodologies, and mixed methods approaches.
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What are you looking forward to at the International Health Promoting Campuses conference?
I am looking forward to meeting some of the local, national, and international stakeholders involved in health promotion in higher education settings that I have liased with during the course of my research. I am also looking forward to meeting some of the IHPC early career members in person at the conference!
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What is one piece of advice you would give to other early career researchers?
A problem shared, is a problem halved! If you need help or are unsure of your next steps talk to someone! I have found that other colleagues can provide helpful advice and have often had similar experiences to you.
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Tell us about a hobby you have outside of your work:
​I enjoy playing Gaelic Football with my club team. This involves weekly training sessions and competitive games at the weekends!
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Carlie Pagens​
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Tell us about your research:
I am a PhD Candidate at University of Saskatchewan researching the wellbeing of graduate students during counselling practicum experiences. Over the past two school years I have also worked as a research assistant for a research project called “Advancing Wellbeing: Using Systems Approaches on Campuses and Across Health Promotion Networks.” In addition to being a PhD student, I also work at the University of Guelph as an instructor and clinical supervisor of graduate counselling students.
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What are you looking forward to at the International Health Promoting Campuses conference?
I am looking forward to connecting with other researchers and practitioners from around the world who are passionate about health promotion in the post-secondary context. I am also excited to hear some of the researchers I look up to present at the conference and to have the opportunity to present with our research team on using a systems approach in post-secondary health promotion.
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What is one piece of advice you would give to other early career researchers?
One piece of advice I have been given that would pass along is to connect with other emerging researchers in the field. Connecting with other researchers passionate about health promotion has been one of the greatest gifts of this journey for me.
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Tell us about a hobby you have outside of your work:
​I also love to coach softball. Outside of work and school I currently help coach the University of Guelph softball team.
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Inès Alexia Abdelli​
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Tell us about your research:
My research interests focus on promoting health for all through physical activity in a sustainable manner. More specifically, I explore these issues within the social domain and the Swiss social security system. My Phd work aims to understand how physical activity can be integrated into public health policies and social security frameworks to enhance well-being and reduce health disparities. By examining the intersection of health promotion, social structures, and policy-making, I seek to contribute to the development of sustainable strategies that ensure equitable access to physical activity and its benefits for global health.
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What are you looking forward to at the International Health Promoting Campuses conference?
I am very excited about the conference, as I come from the field of sports sciences and look forward to learning more from experts in health promotion. I am also eager to exchange ideas with other students and researchers from different universities to gain a deeper understanding of global challenges in this field.
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What is one piece of advice you would give to other early career researchers?
My advice would be not to be afraid of making mistakes because the lessons learned through difficulty are the ones that stay with you the longest. Dare to think outside the box and propose innovative ideas - progress in research comes from challenging existing perspectives and exploring new approaches with confidence.
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Tell us about a hobby you have outside of your work:
I feel the need to stay active and connect with nature. I enjoy activities such as sailing, hiking (both on foot and on skis), skateboarding, running and practising martial arts. Additionally, I am a powerchair hockey coach and a firefighter, roles that allow me to combine my passion for physical activity with a commitment to helping others. However, what matters most to me is spending quality time with those I care about.
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Yarden Woolf
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Tell us about your research:
I am in my 3rd (and final) year at UWE Bristol. My research examines the relationship between students’ experience in greenspaces, nature connectedness, and pro-environmental orientation​
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What is one piece of advice you would give to other early career researchers?
Create a network of other PGRs, where you can support one another through the PhD journey
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Tell us about a hobby you have outside of your work:
I volunteer with Guide Dogs UK. It’s a wonderful way to give back while also taking care of my own mental health as I work through my PhD
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​​Stephen Oyadeji
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Tell us about your research:
I am currently the Healthy UL Co-op Student, where I support initiatives that promote student and staff wellbeing across the University of Limerick. I am also a member of the IHPCC Communications Committee for the Okanagan Charter and am actively involved in the socialisation of the Charter Renewal. In addition, I have been contributing to infographic edits and visual content, drawing on experience with Canva from a digital media module I completed in first year.
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What are you looking forward to at the International Health Promoting Campuses conference?
I’m looking forward to learning more about how different institutions are implementing the Okanagan Charter in creative and meaningful ways. As someone early in my health promotion journey, I’m excited to gain some insight and connect with professionals.
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​What is one piece of advice you would give to other early career researchers?
Always be willing to learn and open to saying yes to new opportunities. They can often lead to unexpected and rewarding experiences.
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Tell us about a hobby you have outside of your work:
I’m a huge football fan (some call it soccer, but we’ll stick with football). I really enjoy watching the sport in my downtime. It helps me unwind, stay connected with friends, and get caught up in the excitement of the game.
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Denys do Livramento Santana Damasceno
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Tell us about your research:
My research seeks to map health promotion actions and programs developed in the strategic plan of higher education institutions accredited in the Brazilian Network of Health-Promoting Universities and that are part of the movement of health-promoting universities. Today, Brazil has enormous organizational complexity due to its great geographic, financial and cultural diversity. Thus, we know that it is a challenge for universities to establish and map the various health promotion actions that are carried out in these academic institutions. Therefore, since we have a network that has been growing in recent years and as I am part of its organizational committee, my research seeks to encourage the structuring of these actions to help disseminate and characterize health promotion in higher education, allowing other institutions to learn about, join and participate in the movement of health-promoting universities around the country. To this end, one of my objectives is to conduct collaborative research in another country, with the aim of understanding the format and constitutional implementation of a health-promoting university, in addition to learning about the mapping and political-institutional structures that support them, such as financing, governance and evaluation, and being able to critically analyze the strategies in light of the social determinants of health and their possible applicability in Brazil, establishing an international academic partnership to exchange experiences and adapt methodologies.
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What are you looking forward to at the International Health Promoting Campuses conference?
I am looking for a mentoring partner in Canada or Europe who can meet me at your university to assist with my research.
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​​What is one piece of advice you would give to other early career researchers?
Never underestimate the value of persistence and curiosity in your academic journey. Don’t be afraid to take risks and take the first step.
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Tell us about a hobby you have outside of your work:
I am a lover of sports and music. I like to follow and practice different sports, especially swimming and gym. In my spare time I love playing the guitar.
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Daniel Twomey
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Tell us about your research:
My research explores the intersection of well-being interventions in higher education, student engagement, and Nudge Theory (Thaler & Sunstein, 2008). Focusing on the Mind, Body, Boost programme, my study investigates how both personal and structural nudges can enhance student participation in well-being initiatives. By evaluating the effectiveness of nudging strategies, I aim to identify approaches that increase engagement, thereby equipping students with the skills and tools to foster positive mental health—both during their studies and throughout their lives.
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What are you looking forward to at the International Health Promoting Campuses conference?
I’m looking forward to returning to my old Alma Mater (UL - Physical Education, Class of 2010) and hearing from experts and researchers from all over the world. I am especially looking forward to hearing from Mark Dooris – I heard him speak in Dublin at the HEA national health and wellbeing conference in June, and he was excellent.
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​​What is one piece of advice you would give to other early career researchers?
Try to attend conferences as early as possible in your career (something I probably didn’t do) and develop parallel skills to complement your academic competencies (something I definitely did!).
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Tell us about a hobby you have outside of your work:
I’m a big reader. It’s my favourite thing to do in my free time.
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