About
I am a Professor of Career Studies at Southampton Business School and Co-Director of Work Futures Research Centre. I study work-nonwork interface, career success, and understudied careers using in-depth qualitative methodologies. I serve as the Associate Editor of Human Relations and sit on the editorial board of other journals.
My research informs individuals who take ownership of their careers and helps organisations learn more about their employees' work and nonwork needs. I share my research with the world of work and provide consultancy when I can make a difference.
I adopt hands-on and experiential approaches in my teaching and prioritise creating an inclusive learning environment that enables students to think critically and flourish. I am lucky to supervise my current PhD students, all of whom aspire to contribute to career research and practice.
Research
Research groups
Research interests
- Work-nonwork interface
- Understudied careers
- Career success
- Remote/hybrid work
Current research
I lead three international research projects focusing on (a) women academics' promotion in Pakistan, (b) inclusive career success, and (c) the role of context in extreme career success. In my research, I strive to uncover unexplored career trajectories and theorise the role of understudied contexts in how individuals navigate their careers and integrate personal and professional lives. My projects have been funded by the Iranian National Science Foundation, British Academy, ESRC, and British Council. I have published my work in scholarly journals, including Human Relations, Journal of Vocational Behavior, Human Resource Management Review, and Applied Psychology: An International Review.
I currently co-edit two special issues in Human Relations and Journal of Vocational Behavior to be published in 2024-25.
Research projects
Completed projects
Publications
Teaching
Since 2005, I have designed and delivered over 50 modules (courses) in various higher education institutions. I also lead a faculty-level initiative to help PhD students develop academic writing and publication skills and learn more about academic careers.
I teach Strategic Human Resource Development (MANG6153) and Key Skills in Communication and HRM (MANG6379) to MSc HRM students, and systematic literature review to postgraduate research students.
External roles and responsibilities
Biography
I hold a PhD in Human Resource Development from Texas A&M University, USA and a PhD in Human Resource Management from Allameh Tabatabaei University, Iran. Prior to joining Southampton Business School in 2017, I worked as an academic at Liverpool John Moores University, Texas A&M University, University of Tehran, Sharif University of Technology and Allameh Tabatabaei University in various capacities.
Informed by my research, I have delivered over a hundred workshops on work-life balance, remote work, and soft skills to managers in multiple industries, including banking, insurance, and healthcare.
My hobbies are reading (fiction and nonfiction) and baking, both of which help me relax and learn about different cultures.