About Me
I am a highly ambitious and independent researcher with eleven years of applied and pedagogical research experience of leading multidisciplinary research projects within the areas of educational inclusion, social emotional development and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) with an emphasis on sensory impairments and vision impairment. I have demonstrated leadership in grant capture (≈£110,000 funding); I am currently the Principal Investigator (PI) of seven research projects (including my post doc research in the University of Thessaly in Greece), four of which have received internal and external funding: developing university guidance for the social emotional needs of students with vision impairment; developing a digital intervention for children and young people with sensory impairments in mainstream schools; exploring the social emotional needs of students with life-limiting conditions and progressive disorders; investigating the mental health needs and social support provided to students in UK Higher Education. For my research on educational inclusion and vision impairment, I have received external funding from the Thomas Pocklington Trust, National Lottery Community Fund and Sight for Surrey, the Sir Richard Stapley Educational Trust, Kingston University, and the University of Birmingham. My research has received attention from the press, mainstream and special schools, professional services, national and international organisations, and local authorities and has been featured on RNIB’s Connect Radio, professional newsletters and academic blogs. I have also been involved in government consultation by submitting research evidence from my research project “Developing university guidance for the socio-emotional needs of students with Vision Impairment”.
I currently have 13 published or accepted papers; all my current publications focus on the areas of educational inclusion across the lifespan, youth mental health, and SEND applying a range of mixed-methods, quantitative and qualitative research methods, and approaches. So far, I have been invited to give three keynote talks, 30 presentations at national and international peer-reviewed conferences and 18 invited talks. My senior colleagues and collaborators call me “a rising star” in the areas of sensory impairments.
I also have an extensive teaching record in undergraduate and postgraduate Psychology modules (Foundation Year, BSc and MSc, Forensic Psychology Doctorate), as a Lecturer and Module Convenor at four UK Universities (University of Birmingham, Kingston University London, Birkbeck and London Metropolitan University) and as a Guest Lecturer at King’s College London and the University of Lincoln. My inclusive student support was recognised in 2021 when I was nominated for the Academic Impact Award based on BSc and MSc students’ nominations for exceptional teaching at Kingston University London and I was a runner-up alongside senior staff members with more than twenty years of teaching experience in Higher Education.