My work focusses on inclusive and just urbanism and its impact on health and wellbeing. This is with focus on identity; how this is expressed, impacted and impacting individuals and groups inclusion in the planning and delivery of public spaces, services and societal practices. I am particularly interested in the experiences of marginalised and under-represented social groups in relation to gender, sexuality, age, ethnicity and socio-economic background and how these are manifested within the wider institutional structures of exclusion and discrimination. This significantly impacts the creation of healthier living environments compassed in accessible public spaces, safe neighbourhoods, and adequate social services. Such conditions contribute to improved physical and mental health outcomes, directly addressing SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being). It further leads to reduced inequalities (SDG 10) and improved gender equality (SDG 5) by ensuring that vulnerable populations have access to healthcare, education, and economic opportunities. This is closely tied to SDG 11 of making cities and communities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. I am particularly interested in participatory approaches and narrative research methods, aiming at an in-depth exploration of the meanings people assign to their experiences to generate immediate and long-term impact on policy, society, culture and the environment.

My research interests are:

• Identity and inclusion in public spaces in both their physical and digital forms and the impact of this on mental health and wellbeing.
• Digital inclusion as a determinant of health for marginalised groups.
• Refugee and asylum seeker communities, and black and minority ethnic communities’ engagement in civic forums and societal practices with focus on the relation between social inclusion and mental health and wellbeing.
• Immigration laws and social justice to promote health and wellbeing, with focus on vulnerable, and protected groups.
• Planning governance and institutional development, with focus on urban development decision-making process in terms of who and how these decisions are made within a specific political, economic, and social context.
• International development policies and their impact on the processes of urban development in the countries of the Global South, with focus on community empowerment.
• Informal networks of urban development and community structures in rapidly urbanised contexts in the Global South.

I have experience in investigating public participation and the institutional spaces of the engagement of marginalised social groups in public societal practices. I am particularly interested in intersectionality, identity and inclusive public spaces in both their physical and digital forms. I am passionate about promoting a fair and equitable public realm and a people-focused space design. In 2025, I was awarded the British Academy Development Fund and the Heriot-Watt Research Cultures Development Fund to lead 2 pre-research proposal participatory workshops. These were to investigate the current landscape of digital mental health and the position of older autistic people in it, as well as to identify research priorities in inclusive digital mental health for this underrepresented group. The workshops included more than 25 stakeholders and representatives of the health sector, Scottish Government, digital innovation, 3rd sector organisations, charities and people with lived experiences. The key findings of the workshops are summarised in the ID-Mind brochure https://researchportal.hw.ac.uk/en/publications/inclusive-digital-mental-health-services-for-older-autistic-peopl .

In 2025, I led a research project funded by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde (NHS GGC) Specialist Learning Disability (SLDS) Services, The Scottish Commission for People with Learning Disabilities, Horizon Housing Association and Key Housing Association. This is to investigate reasons behind the housing challenges for people with complex needs - defined as people with behaviour perceived as challenging. The research full report is available here https://researchportal.hw.ac.uk/en/publications/housing-for-complex-needs-developing-streamlined-and-effective-ho/

Additionally, I was awarded a grant via the British Academy Early Career Researcher Network Scotland Hub (hereafter BA ECRN Scotland) Seed Fund competition. The project was titled Health and Place: Developing a Co-Created Research Design for Inclusive and Sustainable Blue/Green Spaces and worked in collaboration with the University of West Scotland. More details on the project are available on https://healthandplace8.wordpress.com/. I also engaged as a Co-I in PRIME research funded by the UKRI that investigates protecting minority ethnic communities from online harms led by Heriot-Watt University. The project website is https://www.primecommunities.online/.

In 2021-22, I led a participatory research project commissioned by the Mental Health Foundation and funded by Glasgow City Council that investigates refugee and asylum seeker communities’ engagement in civic forums with focus on the relationship between social inclusion and mental health and wellbeing. The project website is https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/programmes/refugees/voices-and-visibility

Currently, I am building on the ID-Mind workshops’ findings and developing a research pathway for the coming years that looks to impact the inclusion of digital mental health services for older autistic people in Scotland.