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Robyn Jackowich  BA, MSc, PhD

Dr Robyn Jackowich

(she/her)

BA, MSc, PhD

Users
Available for postgraduate supervision

Teams and roles for Robyn Jackowich

Overview

My primary research areas are clinical and health psychology, and my work is unified by a general theme of understanding, supporting, and improving sexual and reproductive health. 

My research programme covers three broad areas:

  1. Application of psychological theories and the biopsychosocial model to understand the nature of sexual and reproductive health concerns and their impact on mental health, relationships, and daily functioning (for example, attending and participating in school or work). 
  2. Evaluating and improving healthcare access and equity
  3. Development and evaluation of interventions, treatments, and resources to meaningfully improve sexual and reproductive health, drawing from a person-centered approach

My recent projects have focused on menstrual health (severe period pain, premenstrual dysphoric disorder), genito-pelvic pain/discomfort (persistent genital arousal disorder/genito-pelvic dysesthesia, endometriosis), postnatal contraception, sexual dysfunction and wellbeing. I work closely with stakeholders (e.g., healthcare professionals, policy makers) and people with lived experience to co-develop this research.

Publication

2026

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2014

2013

Articles

Book sections

Research

Research Summary

My primary research areas are clinical and health psychology, and my work is unified by a general theme of understanding, supporting, and improving sexual and reproductive health. 

My research programme covers three broad areas:

  1. Application of psychological theories and the biopsychosocial model to understand the nature of sexual and reproductive health concerns and their impact on mental health, relationships, and daily functioning (for example, attending and participating in school or work). 
  2. Evaluating and improving healthcare access and equity
  3. Development and evaluation of interventions, treatments, and resources to meaningfully improve sexual and reproductive health, drawing from a person-centered approach

My recent projects have focused on menstrual health (severe period pain, premenstrual dysphoric disorder), genito-pelvic pain/discomfort (persistent genital arousal disorder/genito-pelvic dysesthesia, endometriosis), postnatal contraception, sexual dysfunction and wellbeing. I work closely with stakeholders (e.g., healthcare professionals, policy makers) and people with lived experience to co-develop this research.

Please view Google Scholar for the most updated list of my publications. 

Funding Awards

2026: UKRI MRC Harmonised Impact Acceleration Account. £14,980. Jackowich R (PI), Boivin J, Joseph R., Dancet E., Balfort C. (Co-Is). Internationalisation of the ESTR App: Generating how-to guidance for translation, user-testing and impact evaluation in Belgium.

2026: Welsh Government. £49,950. Boivin J, Jackowich R (Co-Leads). Endometriosis.Cymru ESTR Mobile App Development Project.

2026: Neuroscience and Mental Health Innovation Institute (NMHII), Future Leaders in Research (FLiR) Seedcorn Funding. £3,000. Wright M (PI), Jackowich R, Murphy K (Co-Is). Menstrual-related changes in hippocampal microstructure and cortical pulsatility in premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

2026: NIHR Public Health Research (PHR) Development Awards, Period Poverty and Menstrual Support. £138,608.34. Jackowich R (PI), Morey R., Garay S., Young H., Boivin J. (Co-Is). School menstrual health supports and student outcomes: A national data linkage feasibility study.

2026: NIHR Public Health Research (PHR) Development Awards, Period Poverty and Menstrual Support. £115,393.78. Copeland L., Jackowich R. (PIs), Young H., Ashton M. (Co-Is). Engaging boys and young men in menstrual health: Toward an inclusive education framework.

2026: Health and Care Research Wales (HCRW), Integrated Funding Scheme: Communication in Women's Health. £252,951. Anthony R (PI), Jackowich R, Boivin J., Reed H., Young H. (Co-Is). DevelopMent of an intErveNtion focuSed on improving communicaTion within families and healthcare to help young people seek suppoRt for menstrUal heAlTh issuEs (MENSTRUATE).

2026: Health and Care Research Wales (HCRW), Integrated Funding Scheme: Communication in Women's Health. £242,902. Hughes K., Channon S. (PIs), Cannings-John R., Cooper A., Lacey A., Jackowich R., Kidd E., Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales (Co-Is). Communication ANd Decision-making arOund DURation of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): The CANDOUR Study.

2025: Health and Care Research Wales (HCRW), Catalytic Funding. £3,000,000. Boivin J (PI), Jackowich R., Gameiro S., Cooper A., Williams D. (Co-I Theme Leads), Channon S., Cannings-John R., Verdezoto Dias N., Sanders J., Lancastle D., Noyes J., Stringer C., Thornton C., Brown N., Khanom A., Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales, Women's Health Wales Coalition (Co-Is). Wales Women's Health Research Centre of Excellence (WWOMHEX).

2025: UKRI MRC Harmonised Impact Acceleration Account. £20,000. Jackowich R (PI), Boivin J., Proper Design, Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales (Co-Is). Optimisation, dissemination, and accessibility of the Endometriosis Cymru Symptom Reporting Tool (EC-SRT).

2025: UKRI MRC Harmonised Impact Acceleration Account. £10,000. Jackowich R (PI), Boivin J., Proper Design, Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales (Co-I). Co-producing accessibility animations to support dissemination of the Endometriosis Cymru Symptom Reporting Tool (EC-SRT).

2024: GW4 Building Communities Programme, Development Award. £5,000. Sharp G. (PI), Davey A., Dean S., Pitchforth E., Lay J., Dawes H., Lavu D., Stiles V., Joinson C., Sullivan S., Skinner A., Heron J., Mars B., Skatova A., Howe L., Beasant L., Fraser A., Herbert A., James A., Boivin J., Yang J., Gameiro S., Jackowich R. (Co-Is). ReproWell Research Network.

2024: Wales Innovation Network, Small Grant Funding. £4,750. Brown N., McNarry M., Mackintosh K. (PIs), Cooper A., Jackowich R., Tudor Edwards R., Granger R., Harrison S., Hudson J., Churm R., Thatcher R., Copeland L., Brown S., McKnight C., Briggs P. (Co-Is). Women's sport, physical activity, and health network: From menarche to menopause.

2024: Innovation Small Grant Scheme. £2,230. Copeland L. (PI), Brown S., Cooper A., Morgan K., McKnight C., Jackowich R. (Co-Is). Periods and physical activity stakeholder event.

2023: Health and Care Research Wales (HCRW), Health Reserach Grant. £269,577. Jackowich R (PI), Boivin J (Principal Co-I), Noyes J, Gameiro S, McLaughlin L, Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales (Co-Is). Severe period pain is not normal: A realist evaluation of severe period pain managementin primary care across the reporductive life course in Wales. 

2023: UKRI MRC Harmonised Impact Acceleration Account. £49220. Jackowich R (PI), Boivin J (Co-I). Digitalisation of the endometriosis symptom reporting tool.

2018: Scholars in Women’s Sexual Health Research Grant, International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH). $5000 (USD). Jackowich R (PI). An investigation of genital sensitivity, lubrication, and blood flow, psychosocial, sexual and relationship functioning in women with persistent gentital arousal disorder (PGAD).

2015: Senate Advisory Research Council, Queen’s University. $8500 (CAD). Pukall CF (PI), Gordon A, Pink L, Bouchard K, Jackowich R (Co-PIs). Psychosocial functioning in women with persistent genital arousal disorder.

Media Articles/Interviews

Schools taught me about bank accounts but not breast exams. (2025, December 4). BBC Wales. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj9yep3rlylo Features Endometriosis Cymru website and symptom reporting tool in new national school resources for young people.

GPs trained to spot endometriosis earlier (2025, June 7). Welsh Government News. https://media.service.gov.wales/news/gps-trained-to-spot-endometriosis-earlier. Announcement about GP endometriosis webinar co-produced with Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW).

Child sexual exploitation, endometriosis reporting tool, Lucy Lawless on Margaret Moth. (2025, January 7). BBC Radio 4, Women’s Hour. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0026nc1 Interview.

Colleagues thought I was faking endometriosis pain (2024, December 23). BBC Wales cross-platforms. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqjzw9lrv7yo Interview.

Even morphine doesn’t help my horrific period pain (2024, December 18). BBC Wales cross-platforms. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c89xyngwn88o Interview.

Jackowich, R., Shaffer, D., Joseph, R., Boivin, J. (2024, July). Working together to address inequalities in endometriosis care in Wales. Public Health Network Cymru. https://publichealthnetwork.cymru/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/E-bulletin-July-2024.pdf

Morgan, K., (2024, October). Removing Barriers to Exercise – Period. DECIPHer. https://decipher.uk.net/blog/removing-barriers-to-exercise-period/ [Referenced within]

Jackowich R., Ritchie, K., Archambault, P., Maniate, J. (2022, May). Improve care and safety for all: Integrating trauma-informed, culturally safe perinatal practices for patient and provider wellbeing. Psynopsis. https://cpa.ca/docs/File/Psynopsis/2022/Psynopsis_Vol44-2.pdf

Dionne, C. (2020, December 8). “Episode 106: PGAD with Robyn Jackowich”. Vino & Vaginas: The Podcast. https://www.vinoandvaginaspodcast.com/episode-list

Savage, D. (2020, April 28). “Aroused State” (Savage Love). The Stranger. https://www.thestranger.com/savage-love/2020/04/28/43538500/savage-love

 Pukall C., Coyle, S., Jackowich R., McInnis M., & Yessick, L. (2018, December 18). Recruiting participants for sex research: How social media has broadened-and severely limited-our reach. https://www.sexlab.ca/blog?month=12-2018

Bienias, S., Jackowich R., & Pukall, C. F. (2018, January 16). Focusing on healthcare experiences of those with a poorly understood and managed condition: Persistent genital arousal disorder. https://www.sexlab.ca/blog/164

Pukall, C. F., Jackowich R., & Gauvin, S. (2016, September). Sexual health research: Beyond the birds and the bees. Sophomoremag.com

Jackowich R., & Pukall, C. F. (2015, November 26). Can you feel super turned on ‘down there’ when you are not at all ‘in the mood’? Yes. And it’s called persistent genital arousal disorder. https://www.sexlab.ca/blog/8

Research Group

I am theme lead for Rare and Stigmatised Conditions within the Health and Care Research Wales funded Women's Health Research Wales national catalytic centre.

Biography

Education

2022: PhD, Clinical Psychology, Queen’s University (Canada)

2022: Clinical Psychology Residency Program, Health-Rehabilitation Track, The Ottawa Hospital (Canada). Canadian Psychological Association accredited program.

2016: MSc, Clinical Psychology, Queen’s University (Canada)

2010: BA, Psychology, University of British Columbia (Canada)

Honours and awards

2026: Health and Care Research Wales, Laura Bunting Research Impact Award – Endometriosis Symptom Tracking and Reporting (ESTR) Tool (Finalist)

2025: Enriching Student Life Awards, Personal Tutor of the Year (Nominated)

2025: UKRI IAA Partnership Impact Award – Endometriosis Cymru (Highly Commended)

2023: Andrew McGhie Prize, most outstanding doctoral thesis in Department of Psychology ($3000 CAD)

2023: Governor General’s Academic Gold Medal (Canada)

2021: Journal of Sexual Medicine, Best Paper in Women’s Sexual Health

2020-2021: Ontario Women’s Health Scholars Award, Doctoral Level ($37000 CAD)

2019: Society for Sex Therapy and Research, Conceptual/Original Poster Award

2018: Routledge Journal of Sex and Martial Therapy, Young Investigator Award ($1500 CAD)

2017-2020: Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship ($150000 CAD)

2017: World Association for Sexual Health Congress, Top 10 Best Abstract

2017: J A Low Research Day, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Queen’s University, Best Clinical Oral Presentation

2016-2017: Queen’s University, Academic Excellence Award ($30000 CAD)

2015-2016: Ontario Women’s Health Scholars Award, Masters Level ($19000 CAD)

2014-2015: Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Masters Award ($17500 CAD)

Academic positions

2026 - Present: Senior Lecturer, School of Psychology, Cardiff University

2025 - Present: Thematic Lead (Rare and Stigmatised Conditions), Executive Board Member, Women's Health Research Wales

2023 - 2026: Lecturer, School of Psychology, Cardiff University

2022 - 2023: Research Associate, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University

Supervisions

If you are interested in applying for a PhD, or would like further information regarding my postgraduate research, please contact me directly (contact details above) or submit a formal application.

Current supervision

Contact Details

Email [email protected]

Campuses Tower Building, 70 Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT