Expertise and experience
Social science research | Research design and methodology | Teaching | Mixed and multi-methods | Quantitative and qualitative research | Writing | Research translation and communication
Learning partnerships and facilitation | Community-driven knowledge production | Leadership
Consultancy | Client management | Programme design, implementation and evaluation
Sector experience
Education | Social justice | Community development | Schools and Further Education | Higher Education | Not-for-profit | Government | Private | Consulting agencies
Currently Research Lead at Quotidian Strategies and Course Lead & Research Advisor at the University of Oxford. Most recently, Interim Director of Research & Learning at the Centre for Knowledge Equity. A Senior Research Fellow in 2022, investigating student debt at the Centre for Global Higher Education in UCL Institute of Education. Previously a Research and Evaluation Coordinator working in widening participation in Undergraduate Admissions and Outreach at the University of Oxford.
View my short CV here, with highlights below.
Most recent career experience
RESEARCH LEAD | QUOTIDIAN STRATEGIES | OCT 23 to present
Providing research methods expertise and strategic advising to boutique consultancy clients in public, private & non-profit sectors. Leading on research and evaluation projects, teaching and organisational learning programmes in health, education and social change. Clients include the Centre for Knowledge Equity, GetReal and the Black South West Network (BSWN).
Research ADVISOR | (1) University of Oxford (2) TASO (Transforming access & student outcomes in HE) | OCT 23 to present
(1) Advising on Oxplore-RAIS, an attainment-raising intervention co-founded in Undergraduate Admissions and Outreach, supporting senior leadership with the programme’s research evidence base and vision.
(2) Advising on education, higher education and evaluation as a member of a panel of nationally recognised experts in evaluation and methodology.
course lead | University of Oxford | aug 16 to present
Designing and co-teaching NVivo courses for undergraduates, postgraduates and staff in Primary Care Health Sciences, Medicine, the Social Sciences and Humanities. Designing course notes, including presentation slides, software manuals and exercise files. Providing follow-up support, troubleshooting and guidance in participants’ NVivo projects.
Interim Director of Research & Learning | Centre for Knowledge Equity | May 23 to Dec 23
Scouted to lead the Centre’s curriculum co-design with internal team and communities;
Designing research & learning programmes, knowledge co-production & translation workstreams and learning capture with social change organisations, funders and communities including migrants & refugees, emerging leaders, black leaders, health, racial, disability and criminal justice systems and academia;
Co-producing research reports and articles: see Publications.
senior research fellow | centre for global higher education, UCL Institute of Education | JAN 22 to OCT 22
Undertook scholarship-based, qualitative and quantitative research on ‘Graduate indebtedness in England: its perceived effects on behaviour and life-choices’.
Critically reviewed and synthesised literature including policy & practice-related sources.
Analysed qualitative interviews with graduates using thematic and manual sentiment analysis approaches in NVivo. Wrote up and presented research findings at conferences, & in research reports and papers.
research & evaluation coordinator | undergraduate admissions & outreach, University of Oxford | sep 18 to dec 21
Designed and co-founded the University of Oxford’s innovative, award-winning flagship evidence- and practice-informed programme to support raising attainment in schools, Oxplore-RAIS, twice recognised by the Office for Students as an exemplar partnership (2021, 2023). Co-led programme collaboration and co-design with senior leaders and teachers from The Challenge Academy Trust (TCAT).
Primary Investigator of the research programme – a mixed methods implementation and process evaluation of a complex whole-school intervention. Managed a team of research assistants, designed research instruments, managed ethical clearance, and data collection & analysis procedures of pre/post questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and session observations.
Designed the university’s monitoring, sharing and evaluation (MSE) framework and infographics. Designed and delivered professional development and learning for outreach and admissions officers.
PHD candidate & contract researcher | University of Oxford | oct 13 to jul 18
DPhil/PhD awarded Nov 2019. Funding awards: ESRC scholarship (2014-2016) & Oxford University Press studentship (2013-2014).
Other awards & prizes: OxTALENT 2017, 2016 & 2015 – innovative use of digital technologies: Research Poster Prizes | Department of Education Doctoral Impact Competition (2014) Commendation | Department of Education Poster Conferences (2014, 2015 & 2017) Prizes for one of ten best posters
Summary: Explored the workings of, and practitioner engagement with, Oxford University Press (OUP) Pathways for school improvement using a design-based research (DBR) framework. Investigated primary school practitioner perceptions and attitudes towards OUP Pathways and individual improvement practice via an embedded multi-method case study comprising five primary schools and the OUP. Conducted semi-structured interviews with senior management and teaching practitioners in schools and the OUP in multiple waves over a two-year period, participant observation of staff meetings and collection of school improvement documents and Pathways design files.
Knowledge Exchange (KE) – wrote and presented school improvement literature summaries and infographics to partner schools to anchor practice-focused conversations with teachers and leaders, presented research progress at termly steering group meetings, led regular meetings and discussions with OUP senior publishers on connecting school improvement theory with online/teaching practice.
Co-founded the Education Department’s Qualitative Research Methods Hub. Led the organising committee for the Department of Education’s graduate research conference (STORIES 2015) – won £1500 of funding from the OUP and ESRC.
Teaching experience – research methods and data presentation & visualisation. Awarded Developing Learning and Teaching qualification, SEDA-accredited (2018).
NVivo: Advanced Data Analysis Professional Practice workshops – termly (2017 to present), IT Learning Centre-Social Sciences Division; won funding from the Doctoral Training Centre to teach two 3-hour practical seminars on qualitative data analysis and use of software (2017);
NVivo: introductory courses – IT Services, University of Oxford (2016-present);
Perspectives and Debates in Qualitative Research course – co-taught with Dr David Mills & presented seminars on Qualitative Data Analysis (2016, 2017, 2018 & 2019);
Using digital technologies to present and communicate research to different audiences – Graduate student development seminar series (2016, 2017 & 2018);
Advanced Qualitative Research course, led by Dr Velda Elliott– using software to aid data analysis (2015, 2016 & 2017);
MSc in Learning & Teaching: Educational Research Methods (2015, 2016 & 2017);
Qualitative data analysis – Foundations of Educational Research course – MSc Research Design Methodology (2015).
Courses - Advanced Quantitative Methods Summer School - including Multilevel Modelling & Structural Equation Modelling (2016); Advanced Impact evaluation – Social Research Association (2016); Data visualisation and designing infographics to present research to different audiences (2015).