Thank you so much for coming here to learn more about me!
I am a researcher with a passion for disability, technology, innovation and global development. My research is focused on understanding how new and existing technology can empower people with disabilities living in different parts of the world.
My work sits at the intersection of Assistive Technology, Human Computer Interaction, Design and Social Development. Through my research, I seek to engage with people with different disabilities to explore how they access technology (or what prevents them from do accessing it if they wish to do so), and what are the positive and negative effects that technology has on their life.
Currently, I am Research Fellow at the Keio School of Media Design in Yokohama supported by the Japan Society for Promotion of Science where I lead on my project called “Artistic Technologies: Developing Novel Interactions for Inclusive Artistic Expressions” which seeks to find innovative ways to leverage traditional assistive devices, such as wheelchairs, for empowering users to express their creativity through different forms of art in everyday life. I am also a Honorary Lecturer at the Global Disability Innovation Hub and the UCL Interaction Centre where I supervised students and collaborate with colleagues working on different projects around accessibility, HCI and assistive technology research.
Before moving to Japan at the end of 2021, I have worked for three years at the Global Disability Innovation Hub on the flagship programme called AT2030: Life Changing Assistive Technology for All funded by UK Aid. As part of my work on AT2030 I conducted research exploring how innovation can help increase access to assistive technology in the Global South, from testing new thermoplastic prosthetics for lower limbs amputees, to exploring the impact of mobile phone use for visually impaired slum-dwellers.
I was trained as a physiotherapist in Italy and I worked in clinical settings for a number of years. I have also briefly worked as a sport physiotherapist in Ireland (where I acquired a really distinctive accent), before moving to the UK in starting my PhD in UCL in 2014. My doctoral research was centered around the co-development of new technologies to support wheelchair transfers in everyday situations. After gaining my PhD in 2018, I undertook an internship at the World Health Organization to support the development digital training modules for assistive technology provision in the Global South.
I am passionate about outreach and public engagement and I have been a proud STEM ambassador since 2014, I am also really interested in science communication and podcasting, and in 2019 I had the chance to work for a few months at the BBC Science Radio after being awarded a Media Fellowship from the British Science Association.
In my spare time I love hiking and spending time outside. I am a big sport fan, I enjoy both playing and watching them. I practiced martial arts (ju-jitsu) for many years and in the last couple of years I have been practicing yoga fairly regularly. I am also a massive nerd! I love playing D&D, playing videogames (mainly RPGs) and reading books that feature dragons.
If you want to keep up with my work you can follow me on Twitter, connect with me on LinkedIn or check out my publications on Google Scholar
