Pauline is a Chancellor’s Fellow at Strathclyde Business School. Her research focuses on skills, jobs and working life ‒ particularly skills, skills utilisation and skill ecosystems, labour market transitions, social mobility, decent/fair work, the future of work and new/green jobs.

Her research has a strong public policy/KE focus. She recently served as a member of the OECD Expert Advisory Group on the project Better Using Skills in the Workplace and is currently a member of the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan (CESAP) expert group. She serves on the Board of the Centre for Work-Based Learning (CWBL), which aims to drive cultural change and create demand for work-based learning in Scotland. The Centre was founded by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and works to influence policy, practice and perceptions of work-based learning.

Prior to joining academia, Pauline worked in the voluntary and public sectors for 15 years, has a PhD in Human Resource Management and is a chartered occupational psychologist. She was involved in the Bridging the Skills Gap to Create New and Better Jobs project (with Dr Margaret Hawthorne), as an international consultant leading the skills needs assessment in construction, textiles and renewables.