About Me
I am a final year PhD candidate at the Centre for Interaction, Development and Diversity at the University of Portsmouth. I am originally from Singapore but moved to the UK for my graduate studies. I have been conducting research about autistic students’ experiences of higher education since 2019, utilising various levels of participatory methods across my different projects. My PhD research focuses on the role and impact of family in autistic students’ university journeys within the UK context. My research interests and ongoing collaborations include the areas of neurodiversity, inclusive higher education, international students’ experiences, family dynamics, and cross-cultural research.
- Autism / Neurodiversity
- Higher education
- Participatory research
- Cross-cultural impact
- Mixed-methods research
PhD in Psychology, 2022–present
University of Portsmouth
MSc in Social Research Methods, 2021–2022
University of Southampton
BSocSci in Psychology, 2016–2020
National University of Singapore
Experience
- Engaged in participatory research with autism community members, chairing a 9-member steering group who determined research direction and guided study methods.
- Performed systematic database searches for scoping review. Identified, charted, and synthesised relevant information from over 2,000 citations.
- Conducted 37 semi-structured interviews; performed reflexive thematic analysis on transcript data.
- Built and administered online survey using Gorilla platform, integrating feedback from autistic consultants and pilot participants. Analysed quantitative and qualitative responses.
- Translated research findings into lay summaries for enhanced community engagement.
- Conducted critical analysis, creating comparative frameworks across 14 dimensions of autism and psychopathy (e.g., moral intuition, empathy).
- Managed literature and references for doctoral dissertation chapters on autism and psychopathy.
- Prepared documents for grant application and ethics review for studies on Singapore parenting.
- Built and administered online survey using Qualtrics platform. Conducted statistical analysis of quantitative data collected from over 1,000 participants and thematically analysed qualitative data from over 200 participants.
- Conducted interviews with 26 mother-child pairs for a research study on attachment. Prepared 80 and disseminated 170 vocabulary reports for the same study.
- Reviewed syllabi and course materials for 3 psychology modules, identifying areas of improvement.
- Set up lab Facebook page and translated research findings into lay summaries.
- Assisted in client sessions, facilitating therapeutic discussions with autistic young adults.
- Collaborated on a project focused on dating and relationships for people on the autism spectrum.
- Conducted literature review for meta-analysis, extracting and coding relevant information from over 2,000 citations.
- Managed interview transcription team of 10 researchers.
- Redesigned organisational system for research data files, streamlining entry and coding processes.
Education
- Thesis: The role and impact of family on autistic students’ higher education journeys
- Supervisory team: Dr Emine Gurbuz, Dr Steven Kapp, Prof Beatriz López
- Funded by UKRI ESRC South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership
- Thesis: Enabling inclusive higher education: Perspectives of autistic students and disability support staff from Singapore and the UK
- Funded by UKRI ESRC South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership
- Major in Psychology
- Thesis: Understanding and supporting students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in higher education in Singapore: A qualitative analysis
Publications
Skills
Collaborated with steering group members and consultants.
Qualitative data analysis.
Quantitative and descriptive data analysis.
Documentation, presentations, data charting and organisation.
Design and presentations.
Integrating quantitative and qualitative research findings.
Quantitative and descriptive data analysis.
Structural equation modelling.
Experimenting with flavour profiles.
Scaling heights one route at a time.
A new challenge in every pattern.
Pushing the limits of my creativity (and patience).
