I am a speech scientist specialising in phonetics, speech acquisition, and applied speech technology, with a particular interest in how data‑driven approaches can deepen our understanding of human communication. My academic background spans over two decades of teaching and research in phonetics, multilingual speech development, and applied linguistics. I hold a PhD in Linguistics from the University of Leeds and an MSc in Data Science (Distinction) from Leeds Beckett University.
I work across disciplinary boundaries, collaborating with colleagues in speech and language therapy, computing, psychology, education, and applied linguistics. I have experience in strategy development and academic leadership, and have worked with external stakeholders including the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, the British Council, and Ofsted.
My teaching is grounded in making complex scientific concepts accessible without oversimplifying them. I have consistently achieved >90% student satisfaction, and have led curriculum development at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, including MA TESOL.
My research focuses on speech acquisition, vowel production, multilingual speech development, and the pedagogy of phonetics and clinical linguistics. I am also developing work in computational approaches to speech, including a prototype Python application for acoustic vowel analysis in clinical contexts. I have contributed to UK and EU‑funded projects and continue to publish in areas that bridge phonetics, speech acquisition, and applied speech science.
I supervise postgraduate researchers and welcome enquiries from students interested in phonetics, speech acquisition, multilingualism, and applied speech technology.
As a Lecturer in Linguistics and TESOL, I teach across:
- Introductory linguistics
- Multilingualism
- TESOL
- Text analysis
- Grammar
I also contribute to modules in phonetics, speech acquisition, and research methods, drawing on my background in speech sciences and data‑driven approaches to language.
My research centres on speech acquisition and speech production, with a particular focus on vowels. I am interested in how speech develops in multilingual populations, how accents shape social perception, and how phonetic insight can inform speech therapy and language‑learning applications.
I am currently developing computational approaches to speech analysis, including a prototype Python‑based acoustic analysis tool for clinical vowel assessment. I also continue to research and publish on the teaching and learning of clinical phonetics and linguistics.
My work includes contributions to UK and EU‑funded projects, and I supervise postgraduate researchers in speech sciences, multilingualism, and applied linguistics.
Recent publications
- Treasurer, British Association of Academic Phoneticians (BAAP)
- Member, International Phonetic Association (IPA)
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA)
- Chartered Management Institute–accredited Postgraduate Certificate in Strategic Leadership and Management
