I am an interdisciplinary research scientist focusing on marine and coastal environments with expertise in marine social science and molecular marine biology. My principal interests are: contribution of small-scale fisheries (SSF) and aquaculture to the food security and sustainable livelihoods of rural communities, role of social capital and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) in SSF and application of systems based frameworks in interdisciplinary research projects.

I am part of a SMMR funded project entitled Resilient Coasts: Optimising Co-Benefit Solutions, which aims to deliver a new integrated and interdisciplinary framework that will support a transition from hard 'grey' defences to softer 'green' or nature-based solutions in coastal and shoreline management. As a PDRA, I am exploring what determines the social acceptability of nature-based solutions and what are the current perceptions of the use of such schemes in coastal flooding and erosion management in the UK.