I am an interdisciplinary researcher with a background in psychology and I am a Chartered Psychologist of the British Psychological Society. I was previously Professor of Social Change and Director of the Sustainable Housing & Urban Studies Unit (SHUSU) at the University of Salford where I worked between 2005-2019. I have held research grants from a range of funders including the ESRC, EPSRC, European Commission, UK Government departments and devolved administrations, local authorities, housing organisations, charities and private sector organisations. 

My work broadly aims to understand and contribute to alleviating the housing and neighbourhood inequalities experienced by members of particular marginalised communities. I have a research experience in fields as diverse as social inclusion, migration,  homelessness, fuel poverty, energy efficiency and regeneration. Over 14 years I have been instrumental, as PI or Co-I, at generating £2.6m of income and, as Director of SHUSU, facilitated approximately £4m of income into the University derived from a variety of research and enterprise sources. My current research projects focus on two main issues namely migration and homelessness; in particular, how places can support the integration of poorer migrants and refugees and how homelessness can be tackled through new forms of delivery and system change. 

I am routinely called upon by external bodies for expert input including the European Parliament, Council of Europe, Fundamental Rights Agency, major funders and government departments. I have had a number of external roles including as Specialist Advisor to the Parliamentary Women & Equalities Committee, a non-Executive Director of Rochdale Boroughwide Housing and have supported the UK All Party Parliamentary Group on Migration in relation to monitoring the impacts of Brexit. From April 2019 I became Chair of the UKs Housing Studies Association and sit on the Editorial Board of Thinkhouse.