I completed my BSc and MSc in clinical psychology at the University of Padova (Italy), whereby I also obtained my PhD in developmental psychology and spent two additional years as a postdoctoral research associate. Then, I moved to the University of Oxford working as a postdoctoral researcher on an ERC-funded project on the neurocognitive bases of mathematical learning. Before joining the Centre for Mathematical Cognition in Loughborough, I was a lecturer at the department of psychology at the University of Sheffield.
My research focuses on understanding the cognitive mechanisms involved in the acquisition of numerical skills in both typically and atypically developing individuals. I have expertise in assessing numerical abilities in children with developmental conditions such as dyscalculia and Down syndrome, as well as in individuals with high levels of mathematical expertise. A key focus of my work is on how young children learn the numerical meaning of number words and Arabic digits (i.e., symbol-grounding), and how these early representations support later mathematical learning. I have developed and validated assessments to measure early numeracy in preschool children, and have designed and evaluated interventions aimed at improving mathematical learning. These interventions have included both technology-based tools, such as computerised games, and more traditional game-based approaches. I have experience conducting randomised controlled trials to assess the impact of these interventions. My work also investigates specific numerical skills, including number ordering, and how they contribute to broader mathematical development. Additionally, I have experience in the neuroscience of mathematical learning, exploring the neural correlates of numerical processing and their relationship to educational outcomes.