Biography

I am a Lecturer at the University of Portsmouth, with a background in linguistics, critical neurodiversity studies and interdisciplinary research into health and social experiences. I completed my PhD in Linguistics at the University of Brighton in 2021, following an MA in English Language Teaching.

Before joining Portsmouth, I was an ESRC Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Social Policy at the University of Brighton and subsequently a Research Fellow in Public Health at Swansea University. My research has spanned linguistics, psychology, public health and disability studies, with a particular focus on understanding and supporting neurodivergent people to thrive.

I am also an author and public speaker on neurodiversity. My first book, Understanding Others in a Neurodiverse World: A Radical Perspective on Communication and Shared Meaning was published in 2024, and my second book English Language Teaching in a Neurodiverse World: from theory to neurodiversity-affirming practice was published in 2026.

I am a Visiting Honorary Lecturer at Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) at the University of Sussex, a member of the Westminster Commission on Autism and an Associate Member of the Heasman Flow Lab at York St John University.

Research interests

My research focuses on neurodivergent thriving and wellbeing, with interests including:

• Autistic communication and the Double Empathy Problem
• Language, communication and cognitive pragmatics (inc. relavance theory)
• Neurodiversity in education and English language teaching (ELT)
• Homelessness, social exclusion and neurodivergence
• Neurodivergent identity, belonging and inclusion
• Participatory and co-produced research
• Neurodiversity-affirming policy and practice

Teaching responsibilities

I am the module coordinator for Developmental, Social and Educational Psychology on the MSc Psychology (Distance Learning Conversion) course. I have previously coordinated the L6 BSc Social Construction Of Disability module. 

I supervise EdD students at the University of Portsmouth researching neurodivergent experiences within education settings, and supervise an MSc Psychiatry dissertation student at Brighton and Sussex Medical School.

I also contribute to supervision on the MSc Psychology and Learning Disability course and undergraduate student research at the University of Portsmouth.