Katherine's research largely explores the kinds of spaces and places that may promote or impede 'quality of life'. Orientated by this concern, she has completed research on diverse matters including housing markets, age-friendly housing and built environments, spatial planning, social and community participation, and nature-health relations. Her research often employs mixed qualitative methods including interviews, focus groups, observation and documentary research, and draws upon primary and secondary data. She has worked on projects supported by a range of funders including the Economic and Social Research Council, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Planning Exchange Foundation and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. She publishes work in high ranking international journals. She won the Association of European Schools of Planning (AESOP) Best Published Paper Award 2023. She has a BA (Hons) in Politics (First Class), a Masters in Planning, and a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Russell Group Universities. Her Masters and doctoral studies were supported by competitively awarded studentships from national research councils. She has held posts at the Universities of Southampton, Sheffield and Edinburgh and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). Academic leadership roles include Chair of the Board of Studies in the Environment and Geography Department at York and Environment and Health Theme Lead at York Environmental Sustainability Institute (YESI). Until September 2024, Katherine was the Pathway Director of the Space, Place, Environment and Livability Pathway of the ESRC White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership.

Prior to academia, Katherine worked in research and consultancy roles in the built environment and real estate sectors, where she analysed housing markets, produced urban renewal action plans and provided evidence-based advice to developers, public bodies and investors.

Katherine primarily teaches on the undergraduate Human Geography and Environment degree programme in the Environment and Geography Department. She also supervises undergraduate and Masters dissertation projects and doctoral students. She is able to supervise PhD students with interests in planning and the built environment, and age-friendly environments.