Projects per year
Personal profile
Research Interests
My overarching research interest is the investigation of social and educational innovation. Generally, my work uses design, implementation and evaluation research to study innovative programmes and supports which aim to improve population level social outcomes such as attainment, wellbeing and peace. I have a particular focus on improving attainment, social and emotional learning outcomes for children and young people in disadvantaged schools or communities. To achieve this, I work extensively with a wide range of stakeholders and utilise my considerable expertise in education, psychology and public health research methods including: programme logic modelling; participatory co-design of social innovation; implementation science; psychometrics; and using randomised controlled trials to evaluate programme effectiveness.
Research Statement
Dr Liam O’Hare PhD, CPsychol, FHEA
Principal Research Fellow | School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work
Director | QUB Innovation Zones
Director | STRIDE Consultants
Extraordinary Associate Professor | University of Stellenbosch, South Africa
Fellow | The Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice.
I am an experienced Principal Investigator and research programme leader. I have been awarded research funding of over £5,000,000 to investigate social and educational innovation. Over the last 20 years I have delivered and evaluated evidence-informed programmes in disadvantaged communities with many 1000’s of young people and their families. I have successfully managed over 20 research and practice innovation projects, which have involved the supervision and of more than 20 research fellows, administration staff and PhD students. Please see 'Project' tab above for more information.
I am the Director of the Innovation Zones (in the Colin and Shankill areas of West Belfast - https://www.qub.ac.uk/social-charter/equality/zones/). This Queen's University Social Charter Signature project is a long term (over the last 10 years) and sustained partnership between Queen's and two local disadvantaged communities and the many professionals, organisations, policymakers etc. working within those communities. The work has the aim of increasing the co-production of research evidence, which has the reciprocal benefits of academia investigating more relevant and impactful social issues and communities using more evidence informed approaches for moving towards their social development goals. All of which has the shared outcome of helping people realise their full potential and breaking longstanding cycles of disadvantage. A further intention is that Queen's University and these two communities become beacons of social innovation research nationally and internationally.
As well as leading the work in the Innovation Zones, I am an Extraordinary Associate Professor at Stellenbosch University in South Africa where I work closely with Institute for Life Course Health Research and their Masiphuhlisane Research Centre in the Khayelitsha township in Cape Town. I also act as Trustee of Parenting NI. I am a former Executive Chair of the Children’s Research Network of Ireland and Northern Ireland; and former Operations Manager of Improving Children’s Lives interdisciplinary research initiative at Queen’s. In all these roles, I have initiated and led the organisation of over 30 public engagement events for researchers, policy-makers and practitioners. I have written numerous research papers and reports as well as articles that have been featured in national and international media outlets. Please see 'Research Output' tab above for more details.
I also work extensively with the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and have conducted many projects that have contributed to their globally recognised Teaching and Learning Toolkit. I am also the Director of a social impact consultancy at Queen's called STRIDE.
Teaching
I am a research supervisor for a number of Doctoral level students (please contact me for current opportunties).
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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R1136SES: Conflict and Creativity - Evaluating the potential of the Ulster Museum's Troubles and Beyond collection
O'Hare, L. (PI) & Purdue, O. (CoI)
04/09/2024 → …
Project: Research
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R7443PSY: Modelling Parental Styles and Anti-social Behaviour using the Mate-Tricks Data Set: a Secondary Data Analysis Study and Training Event
Hanna, D. (PI) & O'Hare, L. (CoI)
12/10/2017 → …
Project: Research
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R2383SES: FFT Reciprocal Reading Evaluation
O'Hare, L. (PI), Biggart, A. (CoI), Cockerill, M. (CoI), Connolly, P. (CoI), Lloyd, K. (CoI), McConnellogue, S. (CoI) & Stark, P. (CoI)
08/05/2017 → …
Project: Research
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Synapse: a co-designed neurodivergent peer support programme for higher education settings
Coyle, A., O'Hare, L. & Ramey, D., Jul 2025, In: Autism. 29, 7, p. 1711-1726 16 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile29 Downloads (Pure) -
The social prescribing link worker—clarifying the role to harness potential: a scoping review
Mulholland, J., Galway, K., O'Hare, L., Bertotti, M. & Gildea, A., 15 Jan 2025, In: Health and Social Care in the Community. 2025, 1, 25 p., 4394123.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Open AccessFile20 Downloads (Pure) -
A systematic review of mobile device use in the primary school classroom and impact on pupil literacy and numeracy attainment: A systematic review
Dorris, C., Winter, K., O'Hare, L. & Lwoga, E. T., 20 Jun 2024, In: Campbell Systematic Reviews. 20, 2, e1417.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Open AccessFile4 Citations (Scopus)68 Downloads (Pure) -
Is government policy a barrier or facilitator to the work of place-based community-led nonprofits?
Roy, M. J., Rendall, J., Clewett, E., McMullan, J., Read, R., McLean, J., O'Hare, L., Bertolli, M., Kelly, M. & Baker, R., 05 Dec 2024, (Early online date) In: Non-profit Policy Forum.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile16 Downloads (Pure) -
A pilot randomized controlled trial comparing the effectiveness of different spaced learning models used during school examination revision: the SMART Spaces 24/10 model
O'Hare, L., Stark, P., Gittner, A., McGuinness, C., Thurston, A. & Biggart, A., 19 Sept 2023, In: Frontiers in Education. 8, 14 p., 1199617.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile3 Citations (Scopus)67 Downloads (Pure)
Prizes
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ARC Accelerator
O'Hare, L. (Recipient), Stark, P. (Recipient) & Gildea, A. (Recipient), 2020
Prize: Other distinction
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Activities
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What factors impact everyday peace? An exploration using Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping with post-graduate students at Queen's University Belfast, Yale University
Dunne, L. (Invited speaker), O'Hare, L. (Contributor) & Miller, S. (Contributor)
22 Apr 2024 → 23 Apr 2024Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
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What have the social sciences, humanities and arts ever done for us?
O'Hare, L. (Invited speaker)
01 Mar 2024Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
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ESRC Festival of Social Science
Dunne, L. (Organiser), O'Hare, L. (Organiser), Orr, K. (Contributor), O'Hara, L. (Contributor) & Gildea, A. (Contributor)
09 Nov 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in Festival/Exhibition
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What Works Global Summit, Ottawa 2023
O'Hare, L. (Presenter), Miller, S. (Contributor), Dunne, L. (Contributor), Hanna, D. (Contributor) & Vance, R. (Contributor)
18 Oct 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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All-Ireland Conference on Integrated Care
Mulholland, J. (Participant), Galway, K. (Participant), Gildea, A. (Participant), O'Hare, L. (Participant) & Bertotti, M. (Participant)
23 Mar 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
Press/Media
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Article on Spaced Learning Project - Reported in TES (International)
31/03/2017
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
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Article on Spaced Learning Project - Reported in iNews
31/03/2017
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
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Article on Spaced Learning Project - Reported in Telegraph
31/03/2017
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
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Article on Spaced Learning Project - Reported in The Times
31/03/2017
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
Impacts
Thesis
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Measuring critical thinking skills and dispositions in undergraduate students
O'Hare, L. (Author), McGuinness, C. (Supervisor), Oct 2004Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy
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