Prof Colm Harman (front) and Prof Patrick Wall
“The new Centre for Behaviour and Health will establish itself as a global centre of excellence which will shape policy debates and examine how people make life influencing decisions, including decisions around behaviour that may cause them harm,” says Professor Colm Harmon, Director of the UCD Geary Institute, one of the key leaders of the research alongside Professor Patrick Wall from the UCD School of Public Health and Population Science. “With Ireland as its focus, the groundbreaking research taking place at the Centre is directly relevant to Irish society and the policy community.”
Current research projects taking place at the Centre include:
“To understand and resolve the problems we face in society in the 21st century, we must break down the barriers created by disciplinary and professional norms, and apply all relevant expertise in a unified way,” says Professor Patrick Wall, UCD School of Public Health and Population Science. “This is my firm belief, having working for several years as a medical doctor, regulator and as an academic researcher.”
The Centre’s work agenda blends the skills of economics, psychology, social statistics and public health. According to Professor Harmon, the research will go beyond simple descriptions of problems, such as obesity, and instead will focus on the causes of these problems. “This blends quantitative skills with qualitative approaches, to help create innovative solutions to social problems.”
