I am a trained political scientist with a research focus on EU-China diplomacy. Within this context, I am particularly interested in the practical promotion of the EU’s values, such as human rights and rule of law with China, in closed-door diplomatic meetings (or dialogues). This reflected the focus of my doctoral thesis which involved extensive interviews with EU officials implementing EU-China dialogues in both Brussels and Beijing. I received my PhD from the University of Bath in 2019, with Dr Maria Garcia as the lead supervisor.
Prior to this, I received an MRes in Politics and International Studies from the University of Bath (2015), an MLitt in International Security Studies from the University of St Andrews (2013) and an MA in Politics from the University of Dundee (2012).
My approach to research emphasises policy relevance. It centres on the gathering of rich qualitative data to uncover, explain and assess diplomatic processes in practice. I am currently developing a number of diverse publications that further develop my doctoral research and maximise policy impact.