Mark has previously studied at the UEA as an undergraduate and postgraduate, first graduating with a first class honours degree in Philosophy & Politics in 2004 and subsequently completing Masters degrees in Social Philosophy, Social Work and Advanced Social Work (Children & Families).  Mark then spent 8 years working as a social worker and team manager, working with children and families in Norfolk, before returning to UEA to begin a PhD in October 2017. Mark completed his PhD in December 2021 and returned to UEA as a Lecturer in Social Work in January 2022.

Mark's doctoral research was in the field of sensemaking in children and families social work, with a particular focus on how different forms of supervisory discussion support social workers' sensemaking.  Mark's doctoral research used an ethnographic approach to look at how supervisory and supportive contexts - including informal and peer supervision - operated in children and families social work to enable social workers to make sense of their complex work.  Mark is also interested in social work decision-making and judgement in children and families social work and has an interest in practice-near research approaches.