Born in Ghana, Dennis worked as a sports journalist for over 5 years largely covering football (soccer) events. He gained interest in para sport and its development when pursuing his master's degree in Ethics and Integrity. Dennis is currently a PhD student at Western University and his research is centred around the development of parasport in Ghana. Dennis also serves as a volunteer for the city of London, Faculty of Health Sciences, and School of Graduate Studies' anti-racism task force. Additionally, Dennis is working with a research team at Western University and Commonwealth Games Federation on participation in Commonwealth games in developing countries. During his leisure time, Dennis enjoys travelling, playing soccer, and nature.

Research Interest: Development of Para sport in Ghana

Email: doseinim@uwo.ca 

Thomas Irish is a first-year PhD student at the Health and Physical Cultures for Social Justice Lab at Western. He graduated with a BSc in 2017 and an MSc in 2018 from Anglia Ruskin University in the United Kingdom. He has worked with UK Deaf Sport, and is a blogger and activist, sharing his experiences as a Black Deaf person. Thomas is passionate about using qualitative methodologies to explore the experiences of Deaf people and the community participating in sports. Throughout his career, Thomas has presented at numerous conferences and has been a guest lecturer at events including the Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise (QRSE) at British Columbia University in 2018, Durham University in 2022, and others. Thomas’ published works include an article in which he shares his experience as a Deaf person and a chapter for a Disability Sports book on the experiences of Black Deaf Individuals. He is interested in the areas of disability, race, Deaf culture, and intersectionality in sport.

Email: tirish4@uwo.ca  Blog: www.thomasirish.com