I am a graduate of the University of Birmingham, bringing >5 years of consultancy experience predominantly gained in tunnel/deep-basement design. I was granted a PhD in 2014 for research on the micromechanics of collapse in loess. My research led to a 2-year secondment at Atkins, in 2012, where I worked towards the engineering of calcareous collapsing soils into embankments within the scopes of CEN/TC 396. This led to my joining Newcastle University as a research associate and then lecturer where I researched into urban ground improvement decision-support systems and led the Ground Improvement Technologies block CPD/MSc course. I joined the University of East London in 2015. I have published on micromechanics (mineral dissolution, clastic/fractal properties of particles, inter-particle forces, structure-based constitutive models and double-porosity concept). I have also published on computer-aided analysis of excavations (RSFEM, DE-FD programming) and cavity stability. I sit on the editorial board for a number of journals and Engineering Framework Review panel of a number of UK universities.

My main stream research is centred around implications of micromechanics in understanding emerging geohazards (aging, fatigue, saltation, silicatization and mineral dissolution), with a vision to develop decision-support systems (what-if-analysis). I currently lead the SAFE project co-funded by the EU SATURN Action 2 Lot 16b and the SA Innovation fund CUT. 1. Re-Engineering the urban ground surface Earthworks decision-support systems Micro-mechanics and its implications in understanding urban ground challenges 2. Re-Engineering the urban ground sub-surface Development of multi-functional multi-purpose soil conditioning technologies Development of prop-less solutions to underground spaces breakthroughs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .