I started out in a very different field to where I work now - Archaeology and Anthropology. Through Social Anthropology I became interested in how children's development can be different in different cultures, and this combined with having worked in SureStart Centres and schools to create my interest in developmental difference.

I did the Psychology of Education Masters at Bristol in 2012-2013, and that cemented my desire to work with autistic girls and women, who became the focus of my PhD at UCL in 2014-2017. My PhD explored the friendships and relationships of autistic girls and women, and how these differed to the experiences of autistic boys, who we know much more about.

Since then, I have carried out research a range of topics - friendships and relationships, mental health, eating disorders, student mental health (with autistic and non-autistic students), and the impact of COVID-19 on student engagement. I combine social and developmental psychology to ask questions that are important to the communities I work with, and try to find answers that lead to better support for those people who need it.