Katherine Wilson is Professor of Later Medieval European History at the University of Chester. As a historian of the European Later Middle Ages her research and teaching focuses on the shifting patterns of material culture and its commercial, cultural and political contexts. Katherine is an active research scholar, securing external academic funding and has written and published widely. Her research and teaching has a strong public impact and engagement focus. Katherine leads on 'Chester Festival of Ideas' a programme of free, inclusive and accessible public events on a wide range of themes in and around Chester, co-created by the University of Chester and external stakeholders and city partners to help shape, implement and deliver the University's Research and Knowledge Exchange Strategy.