Dr Deirdre Harrington

Senior Lecturer

Physical Activity and Health

Personal statement

I am an experienced academic with a demonstrated history of working in multi-disciplinary teams in higher education in Ireland, the US and England.

I play a key academic role in achieving the goals of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HaSS) and contribute to its success within the University of Strathclyde.

I oversee the development and delivery of research and teaching within the School of Psychological Sciences and Health. I am responsible for securing external research funding, teaching at Undergraduate level, supervision of PhD students and the delivery of meaningful knowledge exchange and community engagement/involvement.

I am increasingly concerned about health inequalities and how my research does, or does not, address or impact them. I am trying to be reflexive about issues related to my assumptions and preconceptions as a researcher.

Currently:

New staff member (since Jan 2021) at University of Strathclyde, energised by delving straight into undergrad teaching and supervision and developing new research and stakeholder links in Scotland.
Media friendly. As heard monthly on BBC Radio Leicester Table Talk and seen on ITV Central and BBC East Midlands.

Former:

Academic lead of the Cities Changing Diabetes global programme in Leicester. I developed the work in collaboration with academic, local government, community and industry stakeholders and partners.
Chair of Ireland's Report Card for Physical Activity in Children and Youth 2013, member of the working group for 2015 and 2021 Report Cards.

Expertise

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Prize And Awards

Best poster at the 2022 Scottish Physical Activity Research Connections Annual Conference: Recipient; 11/11/2022

More prizes and awards

Publications

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Publications

Evaluating school-based obesity prevention interventions in 6- to 12-year-old children : a scoping review of all reported outcomes and expert consultation: Altenburg Teatske M, de Vries Lotte W, Grooten Iris J, van 't Hooft Janneke, van Deutekom Arend W, Roseboom Tessa, van den Akker Erica, Duncan Michael, Ekelund Ulf, Reilly John J, Reilly Lisa, Stafleu Annette, Standage Martyn, Chinapaw Mai J M, Harrington Deirdre M; Obesity Reviews (2026); https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.70125
Physical Activity and Health Annual Report 2024: Reilly John, Harrington Deirdre, Hewitt Allan, Hughes Adrienne, Janssen Xanne, Johnston Evelyn, Kirk Alison, McMichan Lauren, Muirhead Fiona, Weston Kathryn; (2025)
Running Sustainably into World Environment Day: Harrington Deirdre; (2025)
Family weight management in rural U.S. communities : a mixed methods study of parent and child perspectives: Button Alyssa, Holston Denise, Freightman Jamila, Seals Katherine, Helie Matthew, Bankhead Elizabeth, Harrington Deirdre, Murray Peyton, Staiano Amanda; BMC Public Health Vol 25 (2025); https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-23381-0
Child opinions related to a core outcome set for school-based healthy lifestyle behavior interventions : the COCOS study: Altenburg Teatske M, de Vries Lotte W, Barbeau Kheana, Button Alyssa, Cox Ashley, de Lannoy Louise, MacDonald Mhairi, Naidoo Rowena, Staiano Amanda E, Tremblay Mark S, Harrington Deirdre M; Frontiers in Public Health Vol 13 (2025); https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1519467
Global bike bus/ bicibus research: Harrington Deirdre, O'Hare Karen, Bonner James; (2025)

More publications

Teaching

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Teaching

Currently teaching at undergraduate level on the B.Sc. in Sport and Physical Activity.

I taught at Masters level (M.Sc. in Diabetes Medicine, University of Leicester).

I have also delivered practical professional development sessions to healthcare professionals.

Research

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Research Interests

I have worked on the global research platform for 15 years. My research interests have evolved over this time and can be summarised into three themes:

Prevention of ill-health in the clinical and public health areas of physical activity, obesity, type 2 diabetes.
Design, evaluation and implementation of school, family and community-based programmes.
Uniting stakeholders including public health, local authority and key community groups and organisations (e.g. professional sports clubs, faith centres) with academics in tackling prevalent health challenges.

Current topics I am moving forward with include:

Physical activity and related health behaviour (sleep, screen time, obesity) interventions in pre-schoolers and their families.
Transport behaviours - sustainable transport (walk, cycle, public transport) and private car use in COVID times. Changes in behaviours, attitudes, benefits for the individual and cities, the future for walking/cycling as transport.
The outsourcing of PE, physical activity and health promotion to professional sports clubs in schools and the community.
The future of school-based physical activity research in the COVID-19 recovery. How have PhD students and early career researchers been affected by school closures?

Do get in touch if you are interested in collaborating on these topics.

Professional Activities

Cross-Faculty Connections: Growing Networks and Building Opportunities with and for Children and Young People: Participant; 26/2/2026
Velo-city annual conference 2025: Speaker; 11/6/2025
Water Wheels Wellbeing Festival: Research and engagement: Recipient; 7/6/2025
Velo-city annual conference 2025: Participant; 1/6/2025
Ride Oots and aboot: Participant; 14/5/2025
GEMINOA Project - Impact & Insights Workshop: Participant; 25/4/2025

More professional activities

Projects

Evaluation of Scottish Cycling Rock up and Ride Programme across Four Regional Transport Areas in Scotland: Harrington, Deirdre (Principal Investigator); 01-Jan-2025 - 02-Jan-2026
Cycling Scotland's Driver Interaction: Harrington, Deirdre (Principal Investigator) Elliott, Mark (Co-investigator); 07-Jan-2025 - 30-Jan-2025
Supporting Cycling and Society 2025 in Glasgow: Bonner, James (Principal Investigator) Harrington, Deirdre (Principal Investigator) O'Hare, Karen (Researcher) Carballo, Mia (Researcher) Shepherd, Mia (Researcher); Working with main host and organiser, Glasgow Caledonian University, providing significant support and input to the the planning, organisation, running and future development of the Cycling and Society 2025 symposium between 2-5th September 2025 in Glasgow.

Emerging from contact fostered though other collaborative projects and links, including Every Tree Tells a Story, initial links and contributions from Dr James Bonner with symposium organiser grew to incorporate wiser support from the Active Mobility Hub at University of Strathclyde.

With significant roles in various members of the Active Mobility Hub including session chairing, research presentation, attendee recruitment, marketing and communications, event support. Furthermore roles in developing and leading 'side' events, including organised walks and cycles for attendees and social activities; 20-Jan-2025 - 31-Jan-2025
Water Wheels Wellbeing Festival: Bonner, James (Principal Investigator) Harrington, Deirdre (Principal Investigator); Supporting the community festival in Stranraer that seeks to promote and inform practices in health and wellbeing dimension of water recreation and engagement and active mobility, particularly cycling. Organisational support as well as advising on the design and undertaking a range of monitoring and evaluation exercises adopting various qualitative and quantitative approaches; 28-Jan-2025 - 28-Jan-2026
Evaluation of Scottish Cycling Rock up and Ride programme: Harrington, Deirdre (Principal Investigator); 19-Jan-2024 - 18-Jan-2025
Understanding the potential of a resident-led street closure programme – Play Streets in Inverness: Harrington, Deirdre (Principal Investigator); 01-Jan-2024 - 31-Jan-2025