I am a lecturer in the Educational Research Department. I am also Programme Director for the Education and Social Justice MA and Director for Internationalisation.

My research focuses on the nature and experience of life course transitions for neurodivergent/disabled learners, with particular emphases on education and employment. I am also interested in how belonging in higher education is theorised and experienced by disabled staff. I have provided oral evidence to the House of Lords Autism Act 2009 Committee (watch here) and have also provided expert evidence to government ministries and departments in Malta, Indonesia, and Australia. 

I typically draw on qualitative, and where possible inclusive, methodologies to uncover rich data from among hardly reached groups. I am engaged in a range of ongoing collaborations in the UK and internationally and I am Principal Investigator for the following projects:

STEPS: School Transitions across Education for Pupils with SEN/D (Sir Halley Stewart Trust) in the United Kingdom, engages with young people with SEN/D making the transition from primary to secondary school. Our data, resources, and training have been developed using participatory methods and aim to improve outcomes. These include 3 animations and a toolkit made with/for neurodivergent young people: 

How are you feeling? | What is Year 7 like? | What helps with Transition?  

Free School Transition Toolkit for young people with SEN/D

AJOLI: Autism JOint Local Initiative, Uganda (Joy Welch Fund) has three phases which include working with communities across three regions of northern Uganda to screen for autism; understanding how autism is understood by community members through qualitative interviews and focus groups; and developing participatory resources that can be used to reduce stigma and exclusion among communities.

IDEA: Indonesian Disability-Inclusion for Education and Accessibility, Indonesia (British Council) has delivered an environmental scan of universities' disability-inclusion offer across Indonesia; interviews with disabled students and focus groups with HE stakeholders; and good practice guides for disabled students / staff, infographics, and policy briefs to inform Government departments. 

I would welcome PhD applicants with a focus on inclusion and belonging, disability, neurodivergence/autism and education.

PhD, Lancaster University 

MA Education, University of Cambridge

PGCE, University of Cambridge

BA (Hons) Queen's University, Belfast