Led by Dr Karen McGuigan, the researchers will work with community and voluntary partners to support the implementation of the SUMIT project.  Dr Nina O’Neill will work with the Northwest Demonstrator Team, supporting associate partners Developing Healthy CommunitiesAssociate Partners and Alcohol Forum Ireland.  Nina will work closely with North West Methodist Mission and DePaul Derry.  Dr Stephanie Maguire will work with the Belfast Demonstrator Team, supporting Start360 team in the implementation of SUMIT across Northern Ireland Prison Services for people transitioning from prison to the community.  Finally, Dr Ceri Welsh will support the Northeast Demonstrator Team, supporting associate partners North East Regional Drug and Alcohol Forumand will work closely with The Red Door Project and Turas Counselling. 

Professor Kathyrn Higgins Director of QCAP said “we are delighted to welcome a new cohort of researchers who have joined us through the SUMIT project, marking an exciting step forward in our collective mission to create research that is practical, inclusive, and grounded in real-world needs”. Each new team member arrives with a rich blend of knowledge, curiosity, and enthusiasm, strengthening our capacity to explore emerging challenges and deliver evidence that matters.

This group brings experience from a range of fields, including data analysis, community engagement, qualitative research, and policy evaluation. Their varied backgrounds allow SUMIT partners to approach complex questions from multiple angles, ensuring that our work remains balanced, accessible, and reflective of the communities we aim to support. Whether working directly with partners, shaping new research tools, or analysing patterns across large datasets, the SUMIT team will play a central role in expanding what the SUMIT project can achieve across new demonstrator sites.