Dr Karen Morash’s research and teaching work has made significant contributions to topics including:  accessibility in creative practice; the pedagogy of writing for performance; digital teaching and learning; and collaborative devising. Her practice-based research, which has been awarded funding from Arts Council England, the Society for Theatre Research, and the British Academy, focuses on the role of the dramaturg and writer within collaborative processes. A key aspect of this is consideration of how creative workshops can be made more accessible, particularly for neurodivergent people, working with therapist and somatic practitioner Jessica Andexer.

She is a founding member of the theatre company Head for Heights, working as dramaturg, director and producer alongside translator Professor Catherine Boyle and director Sue Dunderdale. The company’s output focuses on using an innovative collaborative approach to translating theatre, particularly from South America. Alongside this, Karen’s writing for the stage and poetry has been staged at theatres such as the Southwark Playhouse, New Diorama Theatre, and the Cockpit as well as being featured in literary journals. She won numerous awards for this work.

Karen is a member of the inaugural cohort of the British Academy’s Elevate Leadership programme, funding by the Wellcome Trust, and is Chair of College’s Research Integrity and Ethics Committee. She has contributed to the development of resources related to ethics and integrity for UKRIO  and has an interest in the ethics of leadership and research governance, including impact, knowledge exchange, and policy development.