My name is Niamh and I recently spent a week with the NSRF on work experience. During this week, I attended the 5th Early & Mid-Career Researcher Workshop on Wednesday, November 12th. It was an immersive, all day online event.
This workshop was for early and mid‐career researchers, those working in suicide, self‐harm or mental health research. Presentations were made by many and on wide-ranging topics, including Dr Ruth Melia speaking about the use of AI, to Ashweeja Gowda who spoke about dialectical behaviour therapy.
One presentation that particularly grabbed my attention was Eamonn Byrne’s overview on the professional and personal dynamics of providing prehospital care for self-harm and suicidal behaviours. It was informative and easy to follow, highlighting how important learning from experience is and how responding in the right tone and communicating effectively are vital in this field of work.
Suicide prevention in changing environments was a central theme of a lot of these presentations. Ruth Melia’s keynote lecture was comprehensive and offered those who may not work in that area of mental health a clear idea of how AI is affecting the field, and how its impact will only expand as the world becomes increasingly technologically advanced.
The workshop offered an engaging learning experience with ample time for discussion. Sessions were designed to be highly interactive, encouraging participants to share their thoughts, ask questions, and reflect on the topics being explored. This dynamic format helped deepen understanding in a wide range of different areas.
Overall, the Workshop was a very insightful event. From thought-provoking keynote lectures to quickfire presentations that showcased a range of research in concise, engaging formats, attendees learned about critical topics they may not have focused on in mental health research before. The workshop built connections among early and mid-career researchers, leaving participants equipped to advance their work in this important field.
By Niamh Corcoran – 4th year student
