I'm interested in how sociocultural factors, such as group structure and the perception of others, affect the transmission, maintenance, and complexity of socially-acquired behaviours, including communication systems, social conventions, and technological tools. I also aim to help identify the mechanisms which underpin cumulative culture in humans, and determine what capacity other species have for developing it.

I also focus on the more immediate practical applications of social learning research, including how group processes can inform public health policy in the context of COVID-19. 

I joined Heriot-Watt University as an Assistant Professor in Psychology in 2023.

My previous work experience includes the roles of User Researcher in the Social Security Directorate at the Scottish Government (2023), Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Stirling (2022), and post-doctoral research positions at the University of St Andrews (2020-22) and the University of Stirling (2015-20).

I completed my PhD in the Centre for Language Evolution at the University of Edinburgh in 2016. I also have Masters degrees in Linguistics (University of Leeds) and Maths (University of Sheffield).

I teach across the Undergraduate and Masters Psychology programmes at Heriot Watt, including the Research Methods and Analysis courses and Organisational Culture. I also supervise student dissertation projects. 

I am also the Undergraduate Dissertation Coordinator and Disability Coordinator for Psychology.