Dr Rachel Takriti is an Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education and the Chair of the Curriculum and Instruction Department in the College of Education at the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU). Dr Rachel has a Ph.D. and B.Sc. in Psychology from the University of Surrey. Prior to moving to the UAE, she held positions at Birmingham University, Sheffield Hallam University, and Leeds Beckett University. Dr Rachel’s research interests are: science education in early years; starting school experiences and educational transitions; differences in how transitions are experienced by different groups; cross-cultural education in the early years; and the understanding of social groups, prejudice and discrimination in childhood.