Jessica Cleary
Below I have listed a selection of relevant information from my CV. If you would like to speak about any of my work further please get in touch by clicking here
Education
2018-2024: Doctor of Philosophy Criminology (funded by the ESRC), University of Stirling, Scotland, part time.
PhD Thesis Title (proposed): Exploring Community-Based Justice Policies, Practices and Initiatives for Women in Scotland
2017-2018: Master of Science in Social Research Methods with Distinction (funded by the ESRC), University of Stirling, Scotland
MSc Dissertation: A discourse analysis of the desistance-informed Scottish Prison Service ‘Unlocking Potential, Transforming Lives’ strategy
2013-2017: Undergraduate Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Sociology with First Class Honours, University of Stirling, Scotland
Research Activities
UK-Canada Globalink Research Exchange, 2022: Supported by Prof. Isabelle f.-Dufour at Laval University, I completed a multi-cultural examination into the considerations of gender within Criminal Justice approaches in both Scotland and Quebec – Publications from this project are forthcoming.
Children Moving Between UK Nations, 2022: Funded by Scotland’s Adoption Register in my role at AFKA Scotland I undertook a project, with Dr Maggie Grant, exploring the considerations and challenges which arise when children are placed from adoption from elsewhere in the UK with families in Scotland. You can read the full report of this study here.
The British Association of Social Work, 2020: I completed a research fellowship with Professor Lena Dominelli to produce a systematic literature review in the role of social workers during disaster situations.
The Independent Care Review, 2019: I undertook an internship as part of the Data and Evidence team, in which I conducted a process evaluation to evidence and review the methodology employed by the Independent Care Review in partnership with Evaluate Support Scotland
The Scottish Centre of Criminal Justice Research, 2018: I conducted a mixed methods evaluation of the socio-legal doctoral research training programmes delivered at the four Scottish ESRC accredited institutions in line with the SCCJR’s national teaching committee review
Scottish Graduate School of Social Sciences Representative, ongoing: Working alongside academics and HE institutional representatives from across Scotland I represent the postgraduate researcher body at the University of Stirling, contributing to national doctoral events and training opportunities.
SmartGov Sustainable Cities Citizen Summit, 2019: As part of the Glasgow team, I helped facilitate the international summit exploring how technology can influence smart governance between local communities and governments
Teaching Activities
Throughout my PhD I have supported the learning and teaching of undergraduates at the University of Stirling as a teaching assistant in which I design and deliver workshops and mark coursework on a number of different modules including:
- Punishment and Society, SCQF Level 10
- Understanding Social Policy, SCQF Level 8
- Crime and Criminal Justice, SCQF Level 8
- Social Differentiation, SCQF Level 7
I have also guest lectured on the following undergraduate modules:
- Punishment and Society, SCQF Level 9
‘Penal Reform and Abolitionism‘ - Women, Crime and Justice, SCQF Level 10
‘A Gender-Informed Examination of Desistance Processes‘ - The Development of Social Theory, SCQF Level 8
‘Feminist Social Theory‘
Presentations
Cleary, J. (2021) What Makes Feminist Research Feminist? Paper Presented at the Doctoral Conference: Research Methodologies: From Design to Implementation, University Stirling, 10-11th June
Cleary, J. (2021) A PhD During a Pandemic: How COVID-19 Impacted my Study. Paper Presented as part of a Faculty seminar series, University of Stirling, 4th February
Cleary, J. (2019) Thinking Bigger: Accounting for gendered barriers in the desistance process. Paper Presented at the British Society of Criminology, Public Criminologies: Community Conflict and Justice Conference, University of Lincoln, England, 2-5th July
Cleary, J. (2019) The Gendered Pains of ‘Going Straight’: Researching female’s desistance from crime. Paper Presented at Facing Down Resistance: Gender, Power and Change in Scotland Conference, University of Stirling, 20th May
Cleary, J. (2019) So Prisons No Longer Punish? Political discourse analysis of the Scottish Prison Service’s new organisational framework. Presented as part of a Faculty seminar series, University of Stirling, 21st February
Events and Training
Lingering Moments in Research: the Doing and Disclosing of Reflexivity Training Scottish Graduate School of Social Sciences, July 2022
Alongside Talitha Brown, I designed and delivered a half day interactive workshop to 55 Social Science PGRs across all of Scotland’s 16 universities on reflexivity within research.
Navigating Wellbeing & Reimagining Resistance During the PhD Symposium, Scottish Graduate School of Social Sciences, May 2022
Alongside 3 of my fellow SGSSS student representatives, I designed and delivered a full day symposium hosted at the University of Strathclyde centred around challenging the dominant discourses underpinning doctoral wellbeing and PGR culture.
Getting Research Ready: From Design to Implementation Doctoral Conference. University of Stirling, 2021
As part of the organising conference team I designed and co-ordinated the annual Faculty of Social Science’s doctoral conference which showcased current PGRs across the University of Stirling’s experiences and methodological challenges of doing doctoral research.
Grants and Funding Awards
March 2022: Student-Led Training Fund, Scottish Graduate School of Social Sciences £500
March 2020: Mitacs Globalink Research Award, UK Research and Innovation £10,000
October 2019: Doctoral Internship, Scottish Graduate School of Social Sciences £5,000
April 2017: Economic and Social Research Council 1+3 Studentship
July 2017: Best overall performance of a graduating student, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stirling
July 2016: Best overall performance of a third year student, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stirling
I have also led and supported the following successful grant applications for AFKA Scotland:
February 2022: The Good Childhood Fund, Corra Scotland Promise Partnership £70,000
March 2021: The Promise Partnership Open Competition Award, Corra Scotland £25,000
Jessica Cleary 