Dr Paul O’Brien: visual culture philosopher, Dublin, Ireland

I was one of Cathy’s supervisors for her PhD, and indeed I think I was the main impetus in helping her to decide on pursuing what is always a demanding project, not least when it takes the form of both theory and practice, as it did in her case. Cathy is committed to environmental ideals, and combines (unusually) a deep feeling for nature with a skilful ability to navigate contemporary digital platforms. Her wide-ranging interests span her own forestry project, an important input at political level, and her key interventions as an artist and cultural practitioner.

Having viewed Cathy’s presentations on various occasions and in different forums, I have no hesitation in recommending her as an inspired and inspiring instructor.

Particularly in these times when everything seems (by necessity) to be going digital, Cathy’s input is extremely important – given that, in the long term, environmental degradation is at least as concerning as the present pandemic, and may be intimately connected to it as a causal factor as well, due to (e.g.) agribusiness, factory farming, animal exploitation and, of course, deforestation.

Cathy’s work offers a practical antidote to the threat posed by global warming, species extinction and the myriad other examples of humanity’s depredations on nature. I am delighted to see her work flourishing at this time, when it is so greatly needed.