Cathy Kilburn

Dr. Cathy Kilburn is a Lecturer and Programme Director within the School of Education at the University of Hull, Faculty of Arts, Cultures and Education. She leads the FdEd Professional Practice in Early Years 0-8 and the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Education and Care (1-year Top-Up) programmes. Her work bridges academic theory and practical early years experience, drawing on her background as an early years practitioner.

Her educational background includes an MA from the University of Sheffield and a PhD from the University of Hull, where her doctoral research focused on gender stereotypes in preschool settings.

Cathy's research interests lie at the intersection of early childhood development, gender identity, and social justice. She investigates how young children reinforce and regulate gender norms through play and peer interaction. Her teaching modules include Play and Learning, Action Research, Reflective Practice, Ethical Dilemmas and the Moral Maze, Childhood & the Digital World, and Creative Inquiry, Communication and Playful Learning at the postgraduate level. She emphasizes participatory research methods to amplify children's voices in educational research.

Her recent publications in 2024 explore how preschool children actively uphold gender boundaries, contributing to critical discourse on equity in early childhood education. These works highlight recurring themes of agency, social norms, and the hidden curriculum in play-based environments.

She has been recognized with professional accolades, including:

• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2024)
• Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2021–2024)

Cathy has actively presented her research at national and international conferences such as the EECERA and BECERA series, focusing on themes of education, pedagogy, and social justice. She has delivered poster presentations and symposium talks, including work on children’s reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the challenges of balancing practitioner intervention with child agency. There is no mention of grant funding or student supervision in the provided texts. She is affiliated with the Education Studies group and contributes to teacher education initiatives.