Biography
Claire I. Gleeson is a registered occupational therapist with CORU OT020918. She qualified with a Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Occupational Therapy from Trinity College Dublin in 2008. Since then, Claire has worked within the field of Mental Health and Autism, and has worked across all educational levels, from primary school to university. Claire worked as an Occupational Therapist in the Unilink Service in Trinity College Dublin from 2008 to 2017. In her role as a Senior Occupational Therapist Claire worked collaboratively with both undergraduate and post graduate students with disabilities in providing support with engagement and integration into university life; both academically and socially. Claire also established and developed the Students with Disabilities Ambassador Programme, a student led initiative, to support students with disabilities to develop and build skills, as well as acting as role models for other students. In August 2017, Claire became the Regional Placement Facilitator within the Discipline of Occupational Therapy and in early 2019 became the Practice Education Coordinator. Claire has overall responsibility for the Practice Education component of the undergraduate occupational therapy programme across the four year Occupational Therapy degree programme. Claire holds a Master's of Science by Research from Trinity College Dublin, where her research focused on exploring and supporting the leisure occupations of autistic men in a college environment. She also has a Post Graduate Advanced Certificate in Education from Queens University, Belfast, which specialised in the area of Autism Spectrum Disorders and an Associate Post Graduate Certificate in Narrative Research from the University of East London. Claire is currently undertaking a PhD which explores the experiences of autistic women in navigating the world of work.
Publications and Further Research Outputs
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Quigley, Duana; Poole, Claire; Whiting, Sinead; O'Connor, Erna; Gleeson, Claire; Alpine, Lucy, University student experiences of work-based placements during COVID-19 pandemic: An inter-disciplinary survey of allied health and social work students., Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, 13, (1), 2023
Gleeson, C.I. Nolan, C., Spirtos, M., & McKay, B. , Navigating the World of Work: Autistic Women's Experiences. , AOTI Annual Conference 2020, 9th October 2020 , 2020
Gleeson, C.I. Nolan, C., & McKay, B. , A Creative Approach to Narrative Research in Storying The Lives Of Women With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), 5th International Irish Narrative Inquiry Conference Exploring Creativity in Narrative Inquiry Trinity College Dublin , Trinity College Dublin , 2nd and 3rd May 2019, 2019
Gleeson, C.I. Nolan, C., & McKay, B. , Narrative Inquiry to explore the life experiences of women with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in their transition out of college, Royal College of Occupational Therapists Annual Conference, Belfast, Northern Ireland, June 2018 , 2018
Gleeson, C.I. Nolan, C., & McKay, B. , The Voice of Women with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Their life experiences in their transition out of college, World Federation of Occupational Therapists International Conference , South Africa, May 2018 , 2018
Nolan, C & Gleeson, C.I. , The transition to employment: the perspectives of students and graduates with disabilities, Journal Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, 19, (3), 2017, p230 - 244
Doyle, A. Gleeson, C.I. & Treanor, D. , A pre-college transition programme for students with Autistic Spectrum Disorder in Ireland, The AHEAD Journal , (5), 2017, p1 - 13
Gleeson, C. I & Treanor, D. , Trinity Students with Disabilities Ambassador Programme, Transitions: Minding the Gaps in Liminal Spaces; CSSI Summer Conference , Cork , June 2017 , 2017
Claire Gleeson, Kieran Lewis, Dr Clodagh Nolan, and Declan Treanor, Supporting the Transition into Employment:Career Pathways: A Support Service for Students with Disabilities, ENOTHE-COTEC International Congress, Galway , June 2016, 2016
Nolan, C., Gleeson, C.I., Treanor, D. & Madigan, S., , Higher Education Students Registered with Disability Services and Practice Educators: Issues and Concerns for Professional Placements., International Journal of Inclusive Education, 19, (5), 2015, p487 - 502
Nolan, C. & Gleeson, C. , Career Pathways- Supporting the transition from college to employment for students and graduates with disabilities, NNDR Conference, Bergen, Norway, 6-8th May 2015, 2015
Nolan, C. & Gleeson, C., An exploration of the needs and concerns of students and graduates with disabilities as they transition from higher education into employment, NNDR Conference, Bergen, Norway, 6-8th May 2015, 2015
Claire Gleeson, Dr. Clodagh Nolan, Kieran Lewis , Building Blocks - The development of an e-Portfolio system to support students with disabilities in the transition to employment. , Universal Design for Learning (UDL), AHEAD Conference - March 19th & 20th, 2015 Dublin Castle, Dublin Castle, Dublin. , March 2015, 2015
Quinn, S., Gleeson, C. & Nolan, C. , An Occupational Therapy Support Service for University Students With Asperger's Syndrome (AS), Occupational Therapy in Mental Health., 30, (2), 2014, p109 - 125
Nolan C., Gleeson, C.I., Treanor, D. & Madigan, S., An investigation into the supports for students with disabilities whilst on practice placement, 16th International Congress of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists, Yokohama, Japan, 18th-21st June, 2014, 2014
Dr. Clodagh Nolan, Declan Treanor , Claire Gleeson, Kieran Lewis, Unilink: A Shared Service Model, Higher Education Authority Conference 7 th Nov 2013, Dublin , 7th November 2013, 2013
Mac Cobb, S., Gleeson, C. and Gough, G. , Mothers'perspectives on the importance of play and leisure for their child with autism and intellectual disabilities., The Irish Journal of Occupational Therapy, 40, (1), 2013, p31 - 37
Gleeson, C. & Nolan, C., Supporting Students with ASD at Third Level., International Irish Society of Autism, Dublin Convention Centre, 4th April, 2013, 2013
Gleeson, C. Nolan, C. Quinn, S. , Participation and Enhancement of Leisure Occupations with Young Adults with Asperger's Syndrome,, Association of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Conference, Limerick, September 2012, 2012
Glesson, C., Quinn, S. & Nolan, C., Promoting and enhancing college participation and inclusion: An occupational therapy support service for students with Asperger's Syndrome., World Congress of Learning Disabilities , Zurich, Switzerland, Sept 2011, 2011
Gleeson, C., Treanor, D., Nolan, C. & Quinn, S., Enhancing College Participation: The Trinity College Dublin Model of Support Service for Students with Asperger's Syndrome., QUART Centre Conference, Queen's University Belfast, 18th Nobember 2011, 2011
Quinn, S. Gleeson, C. & Nolan, C., Managing Asperger's Syndrome (AS) in third level education: A service evaluation., Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland Annual Conference, Kilkenny, Ireland, Spring 2009, 2009
Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications
Claire Gleeson , Autistic Women and Girls: Neurodiversity in the workplace, Psychological Society of Ireland Autistic Women and Girls Webinar Series, Online , 10th February 2021 , 2021, Psychological Society of Ireland
Claire Gleeson , Website Article , https://www.autistica.org.uk/what-is-autism/what-is-autism/navigating-the-transition-into-the-world-with-covid-19, 2020
Gleeson, C. & Nolan, C. , Exploring Strategies to support young people with ASD who self-harm, Pieta House Conference , Aviva Stadium, Dublin , 2017, Pieta House
Research Expertise
Recognition
Representations
Director on the Board for Aspire - The Asperger Syndrome Association of Ireland
Committee Member of the INMED 2020 Conference
Organising Committee of the PECNET Conference 2019
Reviewer for Disability Access Route to Education- Developmental Coordination Group
Reviewer for the Journal; Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning
Awards and Honours
o Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland, Annual Ann Beckett Award 2015
o Association of Higher Education Careers Services (AHECS) Employability Award 2015
o Short Listed for an eGovernment Web Accessibility Award.
Memberships
CORU- Registered Member
Member of the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland (AOTI)
Chairperson of the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland (AOTI) Mental Health Advisory Group & Study Day Organiser
Member of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT)
Practice Education Co-ordinators Network (PECNET)
Treasurer of the Mental Health Advisory Group Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland
Occupational Therapists Practice Educators Network (OTPEN)
COHERE Research Group
Committee Member on Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland Mental Health Advisory Group
Member of the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland Practice Education Forum.
Treasurer for the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland Mental Health Advisory Group