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Professor

Catherine Blake

Professor

School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science

Orcid identifier0000-0002-0600-629X
  • Professor
    School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science
  • 01 716 6525
  • University College Dublin, School of Public Health Physiotherapy and Sports Science, Health Sciences Centre Belfield Dublin 4

BIO

Catherine Blake is currently Interim Director of UCD Institute for Sport and Health and Interim Director of the Elite Sports Scholar Stream of UCDs Ad Astra Academy.

She was appointed Dean and Head of the School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sport Science at University College Dublin from September 2019, having been Deputy Head from 2014. She also served as founding Head of the School of Physiotherapy and Performance Science from 2005-2007, leading the establishment of the subject area of Performance Science and UCD Institute for Sport and Health. 

A graduate in Physiotherapy from UCD, Catherine worked clinically as a State Registered, Chartered Physiotherapist in the UK, Australian and Irish health systems. She completed a MMedSc degree as a clinician researcher, before moving to UCD, where she was awarded a PhD in Medicine. She has a passion for research and data analytics, so returned to graduate studies in statistics (HDip and MA), which gives her a unique skill set in health and rehabilitation research. She has Graduate Statistician recognition from the Royal Statistical Society. She has 130+ publications and a h-index of 40 reflecting 6,000+ Google Scholar citations. She is Statistical Consultant and Editorial Board Member of the Journal of Orthopedic and Sport Physical Therapy, and is a strong supporter of research education in UCD and in the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists where she is a member of the Research Network. She collaborates widely in the sport and health sectors and is Co-founder and Director of UCD Centre for Translational Pain Research.

Catherine has has a leadership role in health professional education in UCD, nationally with membership of the National Implementation Group for Clinical Education in the Therapy Professions, the National Clinical Effectiveness Committee Educational Forum for Education in Evidence Based Practice and internationally in the European Federation for Pain (EFIC) and the Fragility Fracture Network (FFN). She teaches across disciplinary areas and is an advocate for diversifying the practice-based learning curriculum in Physiotherapy, an initiative which has led to Teaching and Learning awards from UCD and the European Network of Academic Sport Services. She is committed to widening participation in third level and is currently the School's lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and a member of the School Athena Swan Team. Catherine's contribution to UCD was recognised in her receiving the UCD Values in Action Award in 2018, for bringing the University's values to life.

Catherine led the development of a framework for Continuing Professional Development for the Physiotherapy profession in the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists (ISCP) and has held several roles as officer in clinical interest and education groups. She was a Director of the ISCP from 2014-2018 and was Secretary to the Board from 2017-2018.

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN APPOINTMENTS

  • College Lecturer
    University College Dublin, School of Physiotherapy, Dublin, Ireland1 Oct 1996 - 30 Sep 2006
  • Senior Lecturer / Assoc Prof
    University College Dublin, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Population Science, Ireland1 Oct 2006
  • Head UCD School of Physiotherapy and Performance Sciene
    University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland1 Apr 2005 - 1 Sep 2007
  • Deputy Head
    University College Dublin, School of Physiotherapy and Performance Science, Ireland1 Sep 2007 - 30 Sep 2009
  • Head of Teaching and Learning
    University College Dublin, School of Physiotherapy and Performance Science, Ireland1 Oct 2007 - 30 Sep 2009
  • Deputy Head
    University College Dublin, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sport Science, Ireland1 Sep 2014 - 30 Aug 2019
  • Dean and Head UCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sport Science
    University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland1 Sep 2019

ACADEMIC POSITIONS

  • Visiting Research Fellow
    St.Mary's University College, Sport Rehabilitation, London, United Kingdon1 Sep 2011 - 30 Sep 2014

NON-ACADEMIC POSITIONS

  • Clinical Physiotherapist
    Guys Hospital, London1 Jun 1987 - 30 Jun 1990
  • Clinical Physiotherapist
    St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, Dublin, Ireland9 Jul 1990 - 4 Feb 1994
  • Clinical Physiotherapist
    St George Hospital, Sydney1 Mar 1994 - 31 May 1994
  • Clinical Physiotherapist
    Alwyn Rehabilitation Centre, Sydney, Sydney, Australia1 Jun 1994 - 31 Aug 1994
  • Clinical Physiotherapist
    Hornsby Ku-RingGai Hsopital Sydney1 Sep 1994 - 30 Nov 1994
  • Clinical Physiotherapist
    Beachside Physiotherapy Clinic, Sydney, Sydney, Australia30 Nov 1994 - 30 Jun 1995
  • Clinical Physiotherapist
    St Josephs Hospital, Dublin20 Jul 1995 - 30 Aug 2016

DEGREES

  • BPhysio
    University College Dublin
  • Cert of CPD Univ Teaching & Learning
    University College Dublin
  • Certificate, Certificate of Continuing Professional Development
    University College Dublin
  • H Dip Statistics
    University College Dublin
  • MA, Statistics
    University College Dublin
  • MCSP
    -
  • MISCP
    -
  • MMedSc
    University College Dublin
  • PhD
    University College Dublin

CERTIFICATIONS

  • Certificate information and Computing Technology
    University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland1 Jan 2001
    Formal course in ICT for Teaching and Learning.
  • State Registered Physiotherapist
    Health and Social Care Professions Council UK, London, United Kingdon1 Jun 1987 - 31 Dec 1993
    State Registered Physiotherapist - enrolled on professional register, with license to practice in the UK
  • State Registered Physiotherapist
    New South Wales Physiotherapists Registration Board, Sydney, Australia1 Feb 2006 - 31 Dec 2008
  • Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methods and Statistics
    University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland7 Jan 2003 - 1 Jun 2003
    Postgraduate certificate in Statistics - School of Mathematics
  • Certificate: Introduction to Rasch Measurement Theory
    Murdoch University, Perth, Australia1 Oct 2005 - 21 Dec 2005

POSTGRADUATE TRAINING

  • Item Response Theory and Computer Adaptive Testing
    University of Cambridge, Psychometrics Centre, Department of Psychology, Cambridge, United Kingdom1 Jan 2015 - 1 Jan 2015
    Psychometrics and Measurement Science
  • Intermediate Course in Rasch Analysis Methods
    University of Leeds, Academic Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Leeds, United Kingdom1 Jan 2006 - 1 Jan 2006
    Psychometrics and Measurement Science
  • Introductory Course in Rasch Analysis Methods
    University of Leeds, Academic Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Leeds, United Kingdom1 Jan 2004 - 1 Jan 2004
    Psychometrics and Measurement Science

LANGUAGES

  • Irish
    Can read, write, speak and understand
  • French
    Can read, write and speak