My research investigates early communication and language development, with a focus on iconicity—the resemblance between form and meaning—in speech and gesture. I use corpus and experimental methods to examine how caregivers and infants use iconic forms in interaction, and how these support engagement and early learning. My work also explores how these processes extend to neurodiverse populations and technology-mediated communication.

I completed my undergraduate degree in English Language and Literature at the University of Leeds (2006–2009), before spending ten years working in secondary education, where I progressed to a leadership role. I later returned to academia to pursue an MA in Applied Linguistics at the University of Birmingham (2019–2021), followed by an MSc in Social Science Research Methods at the University of Warwick (2021–2022) as part of the ESRC 1+3 PhD programme. I completed my PhD in Psychology at the University of Warwick (2022–2025), where I also worked as a Senior Graduate Teaching Assistant. During my doctoral studies, I was a Visiting Research Fellow at Harvard University in summer 2024. I am currently a Teaching Fellow at the University of Birmingham (since September 2025).

I hold a PhD in Psychology from the University of Warwick (2025), an MSc in Social Science Research Methods (Warwick, 2022), an MA in Applied Linguistics (Birmingham, 2021), and a BA in English Language and Literature (Leeds, 2009). I am also an Associate Fellow of Advance HE (2024).