I am a sociologist of education with research interests in the process of research capacity and capabilty building, doctoral and research education, digital technology and the relationship between everyday, professional and academic discourse and practice. Current responsibilities include acting as Senior International Research Advisor for the Centre of Excellence for Equity in Higher Education at the University of Newcastle in Australia and as Member of the Council of the National Institute of Education in Singapore.

I served as Interim Director of the UCL Institute of Education (IOE) from January to July 2016 and as Pro-DIrector (Academic Development) from 2014-6. In 2013-14 I was Dean of the Faculty of Policy and Society at the IOE. In 2017-8 I served as UCL Pro-Vice-Provost (London) and UCL 2034 London Strategy Lead, working across UCL with the Vice-Provost (Enterprise and London), the UCL Innovation and Enterprise team and UCL London Champions to develop and support the delivery of the UCL 2034 Strategy Theme 5: London’s Global University. From September 2010 to November 2012 I worked as the founding Director (Research) at the Institute for Adult Learning, part of the Singapore Workforce Development Agency. My responsibilities included the development and implementation of a national research strategy in adult vocational education and training and the establishment and oversight of three research centres (Centre for Research in Learning, Centre for Skills, Performance and Productivity Research and Centre for Evaluation and Innovation Research). Prior to this, I was Dean of the Doctoral School at the IOE (2005-10). Before joining the IOE as a teacher educator in 1987, I taught in primary and secondary schools in east and north-east London.

I have retired from UCL and hold an honorary position as Emeritus Professor of Education and Society.