Jess Mannion

With 16 years of academic experience in Social Sciences, I have held various roles, including Lecturer, Researcher, and External Examiner in social care and disability studies.

My career has spanned international institutions. My current lecturing role is at the Atlantic Technological University, Sligo. I also work or previously worked at Trinity College Dublin, Lancaster University, The University of Leeds, Manchester Metropolitan University, Arden University Leeds, and Liverpool Hope University. I hold a PhD from Trinity College Dublin.

Research:

My PhD and postdoctoral research are co-produced action research studies with researchers with intellectual disabilities, focusing on sexual citizenship and sexual health education. I am Principal Investigator of the Irish team on the 'Disabilities Without Borders' project alongside my colleague Dr Lori B. Vincent at the University of Cincinnati. Our team comprises researchers with intellectual disabilities and neurodivergence, interdisciplinary academics, artists and practitioners. Our research utilises a variety of visual and creative research methods, including art, drawing, participant poetry, rap, creative performance, joint sandboxing, LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®, third objects, film, and comic zines to collect and disseminate data. 

I am a methodologist. I, along with researchers with intellectual disabilities, created an accessible data analysis method called 'Creative Collaborative Data Analysis' (Mannion, 2024) and a creative research method called' Collaborative Sandboxing'. I also developed the PFS (Planning, Formative, Summative) Model of Self-Assessment, which enables students to self-assess and co-mark their own work (Mannion, 2021).

I research across other projects, including my role as Research Associate on the NIHR-funded 'Belonging and Difference for People with Learning Disabilities' project at Lancaster University, where I am engaged in data analysis in co-produced research. I am also a Research Counsellor on the ATU Sligo team of the Interreg Europe TechSocialCare 'Promoting Technical Standards for Assistive Technology in European Social Care Services' project.

I serve on the Board of the Journal of Creative Research Methods and review for several academic journals. Additionally, I am co-establishing and co-leading the Disability and Sexuality Research Network (DSRN). I am an invited member of the Critical Medical Humanities Research Cluster.

Teaching:

I am passionate about teaching and widening participation in higher education. With extensive experience teaching diverse students, I practice student-centred creative teaching and assessment approaches. I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, hold a Postgraduate teaching qualification, and have won several teaching awards. I also hold the position of External Examiner for the Social Sciences programmes at Liverpool Hope University. I am a member of the ATU Sligo and St. Angela’s Autism-Friendly HEI Action Group.

I am a qualified and experienced Social Care Practitioner. I take pride in being a working-class disabled academic who was an early school leaver from a council estate. I utilise research and teaching as tools for promoting social justice and change for disabled people and students.