Chalisa’s background is interwoven with both social sciences and humanities. She spent multiple years in Japan, where she officially began her teaching career. At Ritsumeikan APU, she was awarded her BSocSc (UK First-Class Honours Equivalent). With an ongoing interest in media and communication, Chalisa then pursued a MA in the Department of Digital Humanities at King's College London, which involved a social media internship at a London-based recruitment consultancy. She switched back to social sciences when joining the University of Birmingham. Chalisa’s teaching/supervision in Birmingham spans research methodology and skills, social policy, sociology, and criminology. She also delivered personal academic tutoring as part of the Birmingham Business School.
To date, Chalisa has published in the following journals: Feminist Media Studies, European Journal of Cultural Studies, and Educational Review. She has presented at various conferences/knowledge-dissemination events held by, for instance, British Sociological Association (BSA), Political Studies Association (PSA), and British International Studies Association (BISA). She is co-organising initiatives for Southeast Asia Social Policy Network (SEASPN), an intellectual space for discussing and illuminating insights from/about an emerging economy like Southeast Asia, at times in relation to East Asia, the UK, and beyond.