I am an Assistant Professor in Human Resource Management at Edinburgh Business School. My research focuses on advancing equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in the workplace. I am the Principal Investigator of the Inclusive Careers in Engineering (ICE) project, which promotes equitable career progression for marginalised engineers, with a focus on the intersection of race/ethnicity and gender. I also serve as Co-Investigator and Deputy Leader of Workstream 1 in the £4.2 million EDI Caucus, funded by UKRI and the British Academy. This national initiative seeks to advance EDI across the research and innovation sector. Workstream 1 explores how key life and career events—particularly menstruation and (peri)menopause—shape career trajectories, with the aim of informing more inclusive policy and practice.

My broader research interests include workplace commitment, belonging, psychological contracts, and organisational socialisation in both physical and virtual workspaces. I am also interested in emerging work contexts such as cross-boundary, temporary, remote, and hybrid environments.

I earned my PhD from the University of Bath in 2020, where my research examined how organisational socialisation influences workplace commitment during internships, in collaboration with three UK professional service firms. I hold a Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and am an academic member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

I am committed to improving individual work experiences and career development by fostering inclusive, accessible, and supportive workplace environments. I actively contribute to both academic and practitioner discussions. My speaking engagements include the Scottish Ethnic Minority Talent Summit 2024, where I discussed best practices for workplace inclusivity, and the Universities HR (UHR) Annual Conference 2024, where I co-hosted a workshop on supporting menstrual health in research careers.

Research interests: equality, diversity & inclusion; career development; inclusive careers; intersectional characteristics; menstrual health inclusion; artificial intelligence and HRM; fair work; workplace commitment; organisational socialisation; virtual socialisation; remote and hybrid settings; flexible work arrangement.

Research methods expertise: qualitative and mixed-methods research; focus groups; interviews; surveys; intersectional approaches; co-design methodologies.

Current Projects

EDI Caucus (2022–present)
I am a Co-Investigator and Deputy Leader of Workstream 1 on this £4.2 million project funded by UKRI and the British Academy, led by Professor Kate Sang in collaboration with colleagues at HWU and other UK HEIs. The project aims to advance equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in the research and innovation sector. Workstream 1 explores how key career and life events intersect to shape inclusion, offering recommendations to reduce systemic barriers.

Inclusive Careers in Engineering (ICE) Project (2024–present)
I am the Principal Investigator (PI) of the ICE research project, currently under revision for ESRC funding. The project aims to advance organisational inclusion by promoting equitable career progression for marginalised engineers, with a particular focus on the intersection of ethnicity/race and gender, as well as other dimensions such as disability and caring responsibilities. The research team includes Co-Investigators Dr Lakshman Wimalasena (HWU) and Dr Judith Abolle-Okoyeagu (RGU); Mentor Professor Kate Sang; Advisors Professor Lisa-Dionne Morris and Professor Emeritus Bob Reuben, alongside professional partners.

Collaboration with Public Health Scotland (PHS) (2025–present)
I hold an honorary research position with Public Health Scotland, contributing to the Equity and Justice Cross-Organisational Programme. My work supports the ongoing development of anti-racism and workplace inclusion initiatives aligned with the Scottish Government's agenda.

Responsible AI in Career Advising: Perceptions, Bias, and Inclusivity (2025–present)

This research investigates perceptions of the inclusivity and effectiveness of AI-powered career advisory systems. It explores ethical concerns, particularly potential biases affecting marginalised individuals based on characteristics such as gender, ethnicity, race, and disability, with attention to the intersectionality of these factors. In addition, the study examines user perceptions to inform the responsible and equitable implementation of such technologies. The project is conducted in collaboration with Alice Rickert (University of St. Gallen, Switzerland) and involves planned engagement with the Intelligent Automation Systems Lab at HWU.

Doctoral Research Supervision
I currently supervise doctoral projects exploring the following topics:

• The integration of generative AI in HR departments and its practical implications (case study in Germany) – Anke Ishorst (DBA)
• The role of training in enhancing the employability of ex-offenders in the US – Allison McPhendran (DBA)
• The impact of flexibility and work–life balance on employee creativity in UK higher education – Diana Adjei Nyarko (PhD)

Previous Projects

Virtual Socialisation and Workplace Commitment (2020–2024)
I was the Principal Investigator of this collaborative study with colleagues from the University of Bath, UK, and the University of Patras, Greece. The project investigated how the richness of media channels used in remote and hybrid working environments influences newcomer socialisation and shapes workplace commitment and belonging. It was funded by the School of Social Sciences at HWU.

• Global course leader for HRM courses at the undergraduate level across three campuses (Edinburgh, Dubai, Malaysia) (2020–present).
• Course leader for five MBA HRM courses (2020–2023).
• Second-year coordinator and academic advisor at the undergraduate level (2022–present).