Independent Researcher

About

I have many varied interests (as evidenced in my extensive interest list!).  However, it doesn't take too long to see how they all inter-connect.  My main personal goal and interest is in positive personal development in all realms of life.  How this manifests in my research is that I am interested in how the experience of work, our personal lives, and our individual aspirations for the future interact and how we manage and are supported throughout the life course to achieve our goals.

I received my PhD in Social Policy from the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research at the University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.  I have a dual US/UK citizenship and had a 15 year career in global rewards management in the US and the UK prior to pursuing my PhD. 

My PhD thesis explored connections between generational membership and the experience of work and rewards.  From the results of this work, I have been developing my interest in flexibility policies and am interested in how employment and life decisions interact throughout the life course.  I am especially interested in the collaboration and communication between the employer and employee to traverse the decisions of the life course and how flexibility policies can enhance this.  I think that employee involvement and voice is often ignored in HRM discussions and I'd like to influence a change in this. 

I have also worked on a major research project for the DWP which looked at employment support for carers who were looking to remain in employment while balancing their care commitments.  This looked at the employer, multi-agency government and third sector service supports in place to meet this aim.  It also resulted in a greater understanding of employer flexibility policies and an employee's access (or lack thereof) to them. 

I have been greatly influenced by the work of my PhD supervisor Professor Sarah Vickerstaff, whom is an expert in the UK on flexibility policies, older workers, pensions, work transitions, and employment outcomes of aging (amongst many other areas).  While I too am concerned about the futures of the old, I am also very interested in the choices made early on in life which often are reflected and the realities of such experienced in later life.  These experiences can result in varying financial, education, career, physical health and mental health outcomes. 

There is a great deal of research on future outcomes for the young and the old.  However, there is a significant gap in the research on the 'missing middle' where many of an individuals choices are made and when many of the key home and working life events happen.  My future goals from this are to focus on flexibility and wellbeing research through experience at all life stages.  These life experiences can be in regards to family, social connections, health, class, work and significant life events within these realms.  I am very interested in connecting with researchers and academics exploring this area.

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