Dr Joseph Keenan

My profile

Biography

I completed my PhD at Aberystwyth University in 2016. My research places focus on elements of health psychology and implementation science. More specifically this includes the use of digital health platforms to support health care provision in a number of areas (End of life care and chronic conditions).

My undergraduate degree also completed in Aberystwyth was a joint honours psychology and marketing degree. As such I retain an interest in areas of consumer psychology (decision making, identity, and branding).

Words of wisdom

When progressing through your academic life the only person you should compare yourself to is your prior achievements. Focus on your own development as opposed to how you compare to your peers.

Academic and professional qualifications

I am a fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)

External examiner roles

I have experience of acting as an external examiner for the theses of doctoral students

Consultancy and advisory roles

Childhood Tumour Trust (CTT) - Medical Advisory Board member

RareMinds - Advisory Group member

Prizes and awards

LovedBy: Through a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) - Lead Academic

Oversight of a project that seeks to embed the principles of behavioural science, health psychology, and developmental psychology within an organisation in the digital health industry.

Prizes and awards

Manchester Metropolitan University:

The Embers Project - Shortlisted for two national awards:

The Nursing Times Awards - Data and Technology in Nursing

RSPH Public Mental Health and Well-being Awards

Aberystwyth University:

Student-Led Teaching Awards - Postgraduate teacher of the year (highly commended)

Expert reviewer for external funding bodies

I have acted as an external reviewer for the following funding bodies:

RGC University Grants Committee (Hong Kong)

Health and Care Research Wales - Health Research Grants

Membership of professional associations

Higher Education Academy - Fellow

"You must be the change that you wish to see in this world"
Mahatma Gandhi

Projects

My current research and knowledge exchange (RKE) projects sit at the intersections of behavioural science, health psychology, psychological well-being and implementation science. An overview of some of my current collaborations can be found here:

Lived experiences of long-term and terminal illness

I have published numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and commisioned reports utilising qualitative methodologies to explore the lived experiences of individuals with conditions such as cancer, diabetes, COPD, and Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) and their family members.

Digital Health

The Embers Project - Working in collaboration with practitioner and industry partners, I was involved in the development and evaluation of a digital health education platform aimed at 3-5 year olds implemented in a number of nurseries and primary schools across the UK. The platform was underpinned by psychological theory and aimed to develop children’s ability to recognise and develop a number of emotions. The platform also provides teachers and parents with a number of activities they can complete with their child. The project was shortlisted for two national awards:

The Nursing Times Awards (2021) - Category of Data and Technology in Nursing

RSPH Public Health and Mental Health and Well-being awards

Telehealth in Rural Wales - Working in collaboration with Hywel Dda UHB and colleagues at Aberystywth University and Swansea University, we conducted a project which explored the attitudes and experiences of Health Care Professionals and individuals receiving palliative and end of life care towards the introduction of telehealth to specialist services. Further commisioned projects included the United For Health pan-European project which explored Health Care Professionals and individuals living with Type-1 Diabetes and COPD perceptions towards the use of a range of digital devices.

LGBTQ+ Health and Well-being

Working in collaboration with the LGBT Foundation, I am currently supervising a number of projects which explore how members of the LGBTQ+ community make sense of their experiences of “coming-out” in later life in relation to either their sexual or gender identity. Prior research has also explored the barriers of accessing health and psychological support services for members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Teaching

Why do I teach?

My main motivation to teach is to facilitate the development of students at all levels of study. The objective of my teaching style is to encourage students to develop an opinion or specific interests which they wish to build upon away from face to face timetabled sessions.

Why study…

Psychology is a rewarding area to study due to the various sub-disciplines that exist within it. While it is important to study the core areas outlined by the BPS, it is also important to develop specific interests in a sub-discipline that you find interesting

Postgraduate teaching

I contribute to the following units:

MSc Psychological Wellbeing Pathway, MSc Health Psychology, and MSc Forensic Psychology:

Research Principles and Methods (Unit Lead)

MSc Health Psychology:

Illness, Disability, and Long-Term Conditions

Understanding and Changing Health Behaviour

Subject areas

Behaviour Change, Digital Health, Implementation Science, Health Inequality, Health Psychology,

Supervision

I  have extensive experience in doctoral supervision and examination. I am willing to supervise projects focusing on applied areas of health and illness (e.g., long-term conditions) and digital innovation in the health sector  

Manchester Metropolitan University:

  • Georgia Wilson - Completed
  • Paul Cornwall - In progress
  • Naheed Hanif - In progress
  • Bruce Harrison - In progress
  • Elizabeth McCoy - In progress
  • Mahmood Ali - Completed
  • Chelsea Murphy - In progress
  • Caitriona Plunkett - In progress

Aberystwyth University:

PhD:

  • Mr Oliniyi Ogundiya (2nd Supervisor) - Completed

Research outputs

My research expertise includes broad areas of health psychology and implementation science. To date, I have placed focus on the following areas:

Digital Health Platforms

Telehealth

Feasibility and acceptibility of change in organisations

Rural health

Palliative and end of life care

Chronic conditions

From a methodological perspective, I favour a qualitative approach to understanding the perspectives and experiences of participants.

Theoretically, I have expertise in applications of Self-Determination Theory, Unified Theory of the Acceptance and Use of Technology, and Normalization Process Theory

Press and media

Media appearances or involvement

My research focusing on the use of telehealth to support palliative care patients in rural Wales was covered by BBC news and can be accessed using this link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-25688192