Sandy is a Reader in Applied International Economics and Development, and the Field Group Chair for Finance, at Cardiff School of Management. She is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Prior to joining Cardiff School of Management, she was a Senior Lecturer at Oxford Brookes Business School.

Sandy completed her PhD in Economics at the University of Strathclyde where she was awarded a full scholarship (Postgraduate Research Scholarship Award; International Research Scholarship Award; and Overseas Research Scholarship Award by the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals of the Universities of the United Kingdom) to support her research.

Sandy also serves as the Managing Editor of International Journal of Management, Economics and Social Sciences; and an Associate Editor of Humanities and Social Sciences Communications published by Palgrave Macmillan.

Her research has been funded by various funders, including the Leverhulme Trust, European Social Fund, Welsh European Funding Office, Cardiff Council UK Community Renewal Fund, Wales Innovation Network, Research Wales, and Hodge Foundation.