My research focuses broadly on understanding the causes and consequences of educational inequality. I’m currently working on a project that examines the rise of food banks in schools, food charity in education, and how this connects to the cost-of-living crisis. Relatedly, I’ve recently completed a project examining how Children’s Centres across Bristol supported families experiencing food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m interested in how food insecurity, education, poverty, class and social justice are connected.

Over several years, I’ve also written articles on parenting, the formation of values, aspirations and moral attitudes. My research is broadly within the sociology of education, but I have strongly interdisciplinary interests. In earlier papers, I examined how young people develop, explain and justify their educational and occupational goals. More recently, with Dr. Katherin Barg, we have developed a program of research that explores the interconnections between parenting, socio-economic background, and educational inequalities. We are also interested in exploring how family life and parenting has changed over time and differs between countries and cultures.

Methodologically much of my research draws on high quality secondary data such as the Millennium Cohort Study but I also have expertise in conducting interviews, focus groups, and designing mixed-methods studies.

I welcome applicants from prospective PhD students with shared interests.