Post Doctoral Researcher / Sound Designer in XR

Christina O’ Loughlin

ORCID: 0009-0004-7179-2970

Email:

Phone:

christina.oloughlin@waltoninstitute.ie
+353 (0)51 302 927

Qualifications:

2022: Certificate in Sound Design and Implementation - QQI Level 7 (Distinction); Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT), Co Louth
2021: Sound Production & Live Performance - QQI Level 5 (Distinction); Galway Technical Institute (GTI), Galway
2015: Teaching Certification in Creating Emotional Balance (CEBTT); The Santa Barbara Institute of Consciousness Studies; Australia
2003 - 2005: Postgraduate Certificate in Epidemiology; Summer School in Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
2001: DPhil Research by Thesis in Psychology; University of Ulster Jordanstown (UUJ), Belfast
1995: Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Psychology (Distinction); University of Ulster Jordanstown (UUJ), Belfast
1992: BA Hons Psychology (2:1); University College Dublin (UCD)

Personal Summary

Christina brings over twenty years of dedicated experience to the field of health-related research, underscored by a strong publication track record, adept report writing skills and expertise in quantitative and qualitative data analysis.

Her career has been marked by significant roles in managing large-scale research studies, including positions held at institutions such as the Heart Failure Unit at St. Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin and the VAHCS study at Murdoch Childrens Research Institute at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia.

Additionally, Christina has contributed her expertise to support research development within academic environments, notably within the Nursing and Midwifery department at the University of Limerick and Chisholm Institute, Melbourne Australia. Driven by a commitment to exploring innovative approaches to enhancing well-being and emotional regulation, Christina pursued specialized training in Sound Design and Implementation within Immersive Media Environments, subsequently transitioning to a post-doctoral role within the Extended Reality (XR) Technical and Research team.

Her prior research endeavours encompass investigations into the quality of life of heart failure patients and the emotional resilience of healthcare workers, reflecting her dedication to addressing critical healthcare challenges. Presently, Christina is focused on leveraging VR Immersive Environment Technology and cutting-edge biosensor technologies to explore symptom management strategies for palliative care patients. Other initiatives are aimed at fostering well-being and self-care among isolated individuals in the community and increased engagement in proactive sustainable behaviours to address climate change challenges with a particular focus on delivering Nature Therapy interventions using Virtual Reality technology.

Publications

- Buckley C, Hartigan I, Coffey A, Cornally N, O’Connell S, O’Loughlin C, Timmons S, Lehane E. “Evaluating the use of participatory action research to implement evidence-based guidance on dementia palliative care in long-term care settings: A creative hermeneutic analysis.” Int J Older People Nurs. 2022 Mar 31:e12460. doi: 10.1111/opn.12460. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35362252.

- Timmons S, O’Loughlin C, Buckley C, Cornally N, Hartigan I, Lehane E, Finn C, Coffey A. (2021). “Dementia palliative care: A multi-site survey of long term care STAFF’S education needs and readiness to change.” Nurse Educ Pract. 2021 Mar; 52:103006. doi: 10.1016/j.nepr.2021.103006. Epub 2021 Feb 27. PMID: 33690020.

- Coffey A, Hartigan I, Timmons S, Buckley C, Lehane E, O’Loughlin C, O’Connell S, Cornally N. (2021). “Implementation of evidence-based guidance for dementia palliative care using participatory action research: examining implementation through the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR).” Implement Sci Commun. 2021 Dec 11;2(1):137. doi: 10.1186/s43058-021-00241-7. PMID: 34895359; PMCID: PMC8665505.

- Deasy C, O Loughlin C, Markey K, O Donnell C, Murphy Tighe S, Doody O, Tuohy D, Hussey M, O’Brien B, Meskell P. “Effective workforce planning: Understanding final-year nursing and midwifery students’ intentions to migrate after graduation.” J Nurs Manag. 2021 Mar;29(2):220-228. doi: 10.1111/jonm.13143. Epub 2020 Sep 22. PMID: 32881132.

- Milicevic, A., Milton, I., & O’Loughlin, C. “Experiential reflective learning as a foundation for emotional resilience in preventing burnout — an evaluation of contemplative emotional training in mental health workers.” International Journal of Educational Research. 2016; 80: 25-36.

- Degenhardt L, Romaniuk H, Coffey C, Hall WD, Swift W, Carlin JB, O’Loughlin C, Patton GC. “Does the social context of early alcohol use affect risky drinking in adolescents? Prospective cohort study.” BMC Public Health. 2015 Nov 16;15:1137. doi: 10.1186/s12889-015-2443-5.

- Olsson, CA., Horwill, E., Moore, E., Eisenberg, ME., Venn, A., O’Loughlin, C., Patton, GC. Social and “Emotional Adjustment Following Early Pregnancy in Young Australian Women: A Comparison of those who Terminate, Miscarry, or Complete Pregnancy.” Journal of Adolescent Health, 2014. pii: S1054-139X(13)00738-6. doi: 10.1016.

- Degenhardt L, O’Loughlin C, Swift W, Romaniuk H, Carlin J, Coffey C, Hall W, Patton G. “The persistence of adolescent binge drinking into adulthood: findings from a 15-year prospective cohort study.” British Medical Journal Open. 2013; 3(8):e003015. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2013-003015.

- Abulhul, E., McDonald, K., Martos, R., Phelan, D., Spiers, JP., Hennessy, M., Baugh, J., Watson, C., O’Loughlin C., Ledwidge, M. “Long-term statin therapy in patients with systolic heart failure and normal cholesterol effects on elevated serum markers of collagen turnover, inflammation, and B-Type natriuretic peptide.” Clinical Therapy. 2012; 34(1): 91-100.

- Nielsen, W., Olsson, CA., Karevold, E., O’Loughlin, C., McKenzie, M., Patton, GC. “Adolescent depressive symptoms and subsequent pregnancy, pregnancy completion and pregnancy termination in young adulthood: findings from the Victorian adolescent health cohort study.” Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. 2012; 25(1):6-11; 49(4):719-28.
- Jan A, Murphy NF, O’Loughlin C, Ledwidge M, McDonald K. “Profiling B-type natriuretic peptide in a stable heart failure population: a valuable adjunct to care.” Irish Journal of Medical Science, 2011; 180(2):355-62.

Reports:

- Coffey, A., Cornally, N., Hegarty, J., O’Caoimh, R., O’Reilly, P., O’Loughlin, C., Drennan, J., Clarke, C., Hartigan. I (2018). Evaluation of The Alzheimer Society of Ireland Dementia Adviser Service. Available at: http://hdl.handle.net/10147/623818.

Conferences:

- Cleary, F., O’Loughlin C., Denieffe, S., Purcell, G., & Lynch, M. (2024). “Technology driven healthcare solutions in palliative care adopting a co-creation approach.” Oral presentation at 24th International Conference on Integrated Care (ICIC24), Belfast, Northern Ireland.

- O’Loughlin, C., Drohan, A., Cleary, F., & Peavoy, H. (2024). “Cities2030 EU project Supports Local policy initiatives in the South East region in Urban Green Space Use: An ongoing pilot study for Community Gardening Initiatives to Supplement Households and Communicate Proactive Environmental Behaviours.” Poster presentation at Environ 2024 (March), SETU, Waterford.

- Barnett, S., O’Loughlin, C., Purcell, P., Mills, I & Cleary, F. (2023). “Comparison and evaluation of palliative care website interaction learning and virtual reality learning.” Poster presentation (winner in category) at Digital Education Conference, SETU, Waterford.

- Barnes, S., O’Rourke, J., & O’Loughlin, C. (2023). “Nature Walker: A Mobile Based Immersive Walking Simulator and Educational Tool.” Oral presentation at Digital Education Conference, SETU, Waterford.