Interview with Dr Kathryn Weston (formerly Curran)

Can you summarise your time at the Institute of Criminology?

It was one of the most enjoyable periods of my life. I absolutely loved it. What stood out most was the diversity of people I met: individuals of different ages, backgrounds, and professions. Our MPhil cohort, for example, included prison governors, psychiatrists, probation officers and even ex-offenders, which made discussions especially rich and thought-provoking. There were also countless opportunities to explore a wide range of fascinating subjects. I was particularly drawn to psychiatry and took a module with Dr Adrian Grounds, which I found fascinating. Over time, my interests evolved further, and I became especially interested in themes related to religion, rehabilitation and desistance from crime.

Why did you decide to study for an MPhil?

I had already completed four years of Common and Civil Law with French at Queen’s University Belfast, which was a demanding programme with limited opportunity to explore criminology and criminal justice, areas I had always been interested in. When I came across the MPhil in Criminology, I was especially drawn to its interdisciplinary approach, the range of modules on offer and to the fact every module was taught by a world leading expert.

Why did you choose to go to Cambridge?

I chose Cambridge because of its reputation and the opportunities afforded by the course itself. I’d never spent a lot of time in England prior to my MPhil year, so arriving in Cambridge felt like stepping into another world. During my first week, that feeling only intensified: one moment I was thinking about the long list of people who had studied there, and then, I was unexpectedly crossing paths with them. I met Germaine Greer in the UL one day and Professor Stephen Hawking on another occasion, shopping for books in Heffers.

What was the thesis of your MPhil?

The MPhil thesis was a literature review on the role of religion in rehabilitation. During that period of study, I realised that there wasn't a lot of academic material on prisoners who had found religion in prison, yet lots of media articles on the subject. I also realised many prisoners had written stories or testimonies about religious change and started to collect them. Around this time, I started to talk to Professor Anthony Bottoms about my research and found him to be incredibly encouraging and curious about the topic too.

What was the focus of your PhD?

My PhD explored the nature of conversions to Christianity within British and American prisons. I set out to explore the nature of the crisis that typically preceded many of them and was particularly interested in the timing of their conversion; was it associated with ‘entry shock’, coping with a long sentence or a fabricated excuse to ‘get out early’?

I interviewed 50 prisoners in the UK and the US and conducted a narrative analysis of prisoners’ testimonies and autobiographies. One of the highlights of my doctoral years was spending a month living outside a prison complex in Sugarland, Texas and commuting in every day. Being asked by the motel if I needed anywhere to ‘tie up a horse’ was an insight into just how rural this location was.

What have you gone on to do since completing your PhD?

After my PhD, I was employed at the Institute of Criminal Policy Research at King’s College London, that was led by Professor Mike Hough. I worked as a qualitative researcher on a range of different projects. He was a great mentor, and I really enjoyed that experience.

Then I decided I wanted to work with people a little bit more directly and joined the probation service where I worked for a few years before getting married and having children. After my first son was born, I joined the School of Education at the University of Hertfordshire (near home) and worked alongside teachers as an education researcher. Over time, I realised just how much professional knowledge teachers had, that could usefully be shared with parents and developed an interest in parental engagement in children’s lives and learning.  

During those years, I wrote two books for educators with Professor Janet Goodall at Bath University, called ‘Engaging Parents’ (Bloomsbury) and spent the next five years translating research into actionable ideas for school communities. Alongside that work, I co-produced a weekly radio show for parents where I interviewed experts from all over the world on different aspects of raising or educating children.

Fast-forward to 2026, I am now the founder of Tooled Up Education; an evidence-based platform covering anything to do with parenting, family life, and education. We currently support over 200 schools in 7 countries, translating research into resources that educators and parents can use to support children’s resilience, mental health and academic progress.

How have you used what you learned at Cambridge in your work?

One of my specialisms is children’s academic, emotional and digital resilience. Resilience is rooted in self-knowledge and understanding. My doctoral work on directly informs how I advise parents and schools on developing a strong sense of self in young people.

Other than that, my team regularly produces pastoral resources on topics that often intersect with criminology; gender and crime, coercive control, deepfakes, street safety, gangs, bullying, drugs and the manosphere.

In creating educational materials for schools, I draw extensively on my criminological knowledge, applying it in a practical, preventative context to support children’s wellbeing and development.

What would you tell somebody starting the Cambridge course who was uncertain about it?

I would tell them they are going to have the time of their lives at Cambridge. There’s a real sense of pride in being there: the institute is a global centre for criminology, and you’re surrounded by people who care deeply about the same subjects as you do.

The resources are exceptional, particularly the Institute’s library, which quickly becomes a place you want to spend time in. More than anything, it’s a welcoming community. There’s nowhere better to study, and you will certainly leave with a strong sense that you truly belonged, with fond memories that last a lifetime.