Molly Manning

I am Associate Professor and Course Director of the MSc in Speech and Language Therapy at the University of Limerick. I hold a PhD in Population Health and Health Services Research and am a participatory health researcher focused on aphasia psychosocial care (APC). My interdisciplinary work spans co-design, aphasia, migrant health, and culturally responsive care, with contributions to national stroke strategies and clinical guidelines. I am active in teaching, policy development, and public and patient involvement (PPI) research, with a strong emphasis on inclusive, evidence-based research implementation. Prior to academia, I worked clinically as a Speech and Language Therapist and as a project manager with a focus on health and change management initiatives. I hold Masters degrees in Speech and Language Therapy and Linguistics, and a BSc in Physics and Astronomy.

My research promotes health and societal equity through participatory health research (PHR), with a strong focus on equality, diversity, and inclusion. I work to amplify voices often excluded from research, particularly people with aphasia, by fostering equitable power-sharing throughout all research phases.

As a member of UL’s Health Research Institute and its Participatory Health Research (PHR) Unit, I contribute to arts-based projects addressing refugee and migrant health. Since 2017, I have collaborated with an aphasia PPI panel on various projects and, since 2020, have built participatory networks with clinicians and policy actors grounded in trust and mutual respect. My work has influenced participatory implementation science, complex intervention development, and inclusive research methods.

I have led the creation of national and international networks, including co-leading an 80+ member Aphasia Psychological Care research network across four continents and Ireland’s first interdisciplinary community of practice with over 200 clinicians. Since completing my HRB SPHERE-funded PhD in 2020, I have contributed to multi-institutional grants and led funded projects supported by PPI Ignite UL, HRB, and HRI. In 2025, I was appointed UL Academic Lead for PPI Ignite Phase 3 (2026-31), reflecting my sustained commitment to embedding equity and inclusion in research, education, and practice.

My teaching spans a range of subject areas including linguistics (e.g., syntax, semantics, psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, multilingualism, clinical linguistics), anatomy and physiology, stroke and brain injury, and acquired neurogenic communication disorders. My participatory ethos also shapes my teaching and supervision of MSc and PhD students, encouraging inclusive, action-oriented scholarship.