I am an economic sociologist, researching how digital technology is changing the global economy and society.

My research falls into three streams: digital labor, platforms, and AI. Empirically, I study the case of refugees: an emerging workforce engaged in various forms of digital work, including digital freelancing, data work, and remote professional work.

My work is funded by the Global Poverty Research Lab, Buffett Institute for Global Affairs, among others. I am a qualitative scholar who uses ethnographic methods, interviews, and text analysis. My fieldwork has taken me to the U.K., Kenya, Ethiopia, and Azerbaijan.

I am a Fellow at the Interdisciplinary Network for Technology and Entrepreneurship Research in Africa. Previously, I was a Fulbright Fellow, Research Fellow at the Institute for the Cooperative Digital Economy, and Research Consultant with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Bain & Company. I am a member of various research networks, including the British Institute in Eastern Africa, DISCO (Digital Inquiry, Speculation, Collaboration, and Optimism) Network, and Labor Tech Research Network.

My professional work experience informs my research interests. Prior to academia, I worked in the tech sector in client engagement, business development, and data operations roles at data analytics startups in Austin, San Francisco, and Shanghai. I saw firsthand how digital technology is transforming labor markets.

I believe in sharing insights from my work with the communities I study, collaborating closely with practitioners—including social enterprises, refugee-led organizations, and nonprofits—through consulting and community-engaged research. I am the founder of several community initiatives, including Digital Dreams Database (3D) for Refugees, Scientists for Migrant Learning & Education (SMiLE!), and Young Tech Leaders of the Middle East.