O’Neill, Eoin

Eoin O'Neill is Head of the School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy and Professor in Environmental Policy.  Eoin is a member of UCD Earth Institute and a Science Foundation Ireland Funded Investigator in BiOrbic, Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre. He is a chartered planner with the Royal Town Planning Institute (MRTPI). Prior to being appointed at UCD, he worked as a Technical Specialist in Flood Risk Management at the UK Environment Agency.

Research interest

Eoin’s research interests concern the interactions between people and the built environment, under the broad themes of risk (perception and behavior), and policy design (incentives and regulation of development). Eoin has particular knowledge of, and interest in, the following research areas: Risk Perception, Risk Communication, and Behaviour; Policy Design and Evaluation; Incentives and Regulation of Land-Use Externalities; Environmental Policy; Climate Change Adaptation; Flood Risk Management.

Mentoring

Eoin has been supervising and mentoring postgraduate and postdoctoral students across his research areas of interest since 2010.  He is currently supervising four Ph.D. students and 2 research fellows. 

Grants and consultancy

Eoin is currently involved in a number of research projects, including: assessing flood risk perceptions, preparedness, and policy (FloodPAP Project); exploring perceptions and behaviors related to human health effects of flood-related waterborne disease outbreaks (FloodRisk2WellWater), and another project assessing the policy effectiveness of transferable development rights programs in urban planning. He is an SFI-Funded Investigator on a project concerned with public policy and the bioeconomy as part of BiOrbic, Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre.

Policy Engagement

Eoin’s research findings contribute to informing policy, in Ireland and internationally. For example, the risk communication guidelines generated from RelayRisk are helping to inform EPA engagement activities, as outlined in its National Inspection Plan(s) (DWWTS) 2015-17 and 2018-21. His research is cited in: the 2019 special report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); Irish National Adaptation Framework (2018); the 2020 evidence report of The Climate Change Committee (UK CCC); US Geological Survey circular on communicating hazards (2019); the Australian Government Productivity Commission report examining Australia's planning and zoning systems and their impact on competitiveness and functioning of cities; EC Expert Report on Bioeconomy (2021). He has also given evidence as an environmental policy expert witness to a meeting of the Irish Houses of the Oireachtas (Parliament) Joint Committee on European Union Affairs.

Awards

Article of the Year award from the Journal of American Planning Association (JAPA) in 2019.