Catherine's research and practice explore the potential of storytelling to provide an alternative forum and language for dialogue across social barriers, particularly in the context of the rapidly changing challenges facing young people, particularly ecological crisis. She has disseminated this research widely through conference papers, journal articles, performances, book chapters, and training sessions for a broad range of practitioner audiences. She is also an experienced lecturer and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Her monograph, Storytelling in Participatory Arts with Young People, is published by Palgrave Macmillan this summer 2020. Catherine's current research projects are: * 'Journeys We Make', a practice research collaboration with Leeds Beckett University investigating the potential of multi-artform storytelling to facilitate cross-cultural dialogue about migration and identity in secondary schools. * ‘Things As They Are’, a network of young artists using the arts to open up creative conversations about the root causes of the apparent crisis in adolescent mental health. * 'Ramifications and Recovery', an investigation into the impact of Out Of Character Theatre Company on both its members and audiences.