Professor Connolly is a former public servant having worked as an evaluator of complex public health interventions before entering academia on a full-time basis.
Before joining Glasgow Caledonian University, he was Professor of Public Policy at the University of the West of Scotland. His research has been funded by major funding bodies including the Economic and Social and Research Council (ESRC) and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), as well as public bodies such as NHS Education for Scotland and the Scottish Government.
He is currently working with Indian partners at IIT Bombay to examine the global threats posed by antimicrobial resistance in the environment.
Professor Connolly is a former Editor in Chief of Contemporary Social Science journal (the flagship journal of the Academy of Social Sciences) and is currently Chief Editorial Adviser for Routledge Open Research (Social Sciences).