Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
I work across the critical, cultural, heritage and creative sections in the School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing and have an interdisciplinary profile researching and teaching with colleagues across the HUM faculty and beyond. Prior to UEA, I held a Lecturership at the University of Nottingham, was the Bloomfield Visiting Fellow at the University of Harvard, USA, and held a Medieval Academy of America grant at SUNY, Binghamton, USA. The Queen's University of Belfast is where I completed my BA(hons), PhD and PGCHET.
Key Research Interests
Interests include medieval and early modern literature, contemporary creative and cutural responses to the premodern, critcal heritage studies and Medical Humanities. In particular, digging deep into Norfolk's early archives enables me to shine light on the untold stories, through inter-disciplinary approaches and practice-led methodologies. The 15th to 17th century Paston Letters are my primary focus at present.
Impact legacies are evident through 'Paston Footprints', a civic heritage partnership programme with over 60 organisations, of which I am Co-Director, with Dr Knee. Winner of the First Nature 2023 Prize and UEA's Innovation and Cultural Impact 2022 award: Dr Karen Smyth: Paston Footprints - YouTube, co-productions have resulted in immersive Heritage Walks | Paston Footprints and an interactive Paston portal at: This Is Paston: Welcome to the World of the Pastons New research-led practice is focusing on how people with disabilities often have a unique lens to interpret spaces, through their embodied, sensory and situated knowledge, see: Exploring Health through the Medical Humanities - CreativeUEA
As Co-PI (with Professor Andrew Power, Southampton) of the AHRC 'Preserving Place' project, I researched the intangible community health benefits of heritage projects. Prior research included the relationships of place and identity through the impact of collective heritage storytelling in my work on the AHRC ‘All Our Stories’ project with UEA’s landscape historians. This had built on a decade's experience of multiple community co-production projects on East Anglian authors. My first monograph, a co-edited collection (with Prof. Isabelle Cochelin, Uni. of Toronto) and numerous articles, examined medieval and modern transitions in culturally constructed time expressions in fourteenth and fifthteenth century literature.
Teaching Interests
The creative-critical interface in my research informs my teaching practices. Currently, I teach on the year one literature modules, and convene a final year module that explores how a medieval legend, King Arthur, is culturally translated across the centuries. I also supervise dissertations. My interdisciplinary teaching includes 'Digital Storytelling' and the MA in Medical and Health Humanities.
Postgraduate Research Opportunities
Please get in touch to discuss potential MRes or PhD supervision. Successful completions I have supervised have been in Late Medieval literature, Medievalism, creative-critical and critical heritage.
Administrative Posts
LDC International Placements Co-ordinator, 2023 - ongoing
LDC Library Liaison, 2019 - ongoing
Personal Advisor, 2007 - ongoing
Eastern Arc Digital Humanities UEA Lead, 2015-18
HUM Research Ethics Committee, 2016-17
University Data Management Committee, 2014-16
LDC Public Engagement Director, 2014-15
LDC Promotions Committee, 2014 - 15
Medieval & Early Modern seminar series organiser, 2012-14
CHASE (PhD consortium) Medieval & Early Modern UEA lead, 2012-14
Q300 (BA English Literature) Course Director, 2008-12
Erasmus Co-ordinator, 2012
LDC Plagiarism Officer, 2011
Level 4 Curriculum Review Committee, 2011-12
Q200 (Comparative Literature) Course Director, 2009
LDC Disability Officer, 2008-10
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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Paston Footprints (Development Stage)
Smyth, K., Knee, R. & Tuson, G.
16/08/16 → 31/12/16
Project: Research
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From Humanism to Human : A Medieval and Renaissance Journey
Rossiter, W., Roebuck, T. & Smyth, K.
School of Advanced Study, University of London
1/11/14 → 31/12/14
Project: Other
Research output
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Life-records of the English Antiquary John Fenn
Smyth, K. E., 23 Sep 2023, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Notes and Queries. gjad076.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile5 Downloads (Pure) -
Margaret Paston: 'the first captenesse' - permanent exhibition
Smyth, K. & Knee, R., 2022Research output: Non-textual form › Exhibition
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Paston Heritage Trails Website
Smyth, K. & Parker, E., Jan 2022Research output: Non-textual form › Digital or Visual Products
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The Fenns of Hill House and the Paston Letters
Smyth, K. & Trust, D., Apr 2022Research output: Non-textual form › Exhibition
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Finding Paston Footprints: 400 years of Norfolk Life
Smyth, K. & Watts, J., 11 Aug 2021Research output: Non-textual form › Exhibition
Open Access
Prizes
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Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
Smyth, Karen (Recipient), May 2022
Prize: Election to learned society
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Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts
Smyth, Karen (Recipient), Mar 2023
Prize: Election to learned society
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Fellow of UK Higher Education Academy
Smyth, Karen (Recipient), 2007
Prize: Fellowship awarded competitively
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First Nature Prize: Bishop of Norwich and Green Care Network Award for Paston Footprints
Smyth, Karen (Recipient), 2023
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Innovation and Impact Award (UEA): Outstanding Social or Cultural Impact for Paston Footprints
Smyth, Karen (Recipient), 2022
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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Historic England HAZ programme (External organisation)
Karen Smyth (Contributor)
Apr 2022 → 2024Activity: Membership › Social or cultural organisation
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East Norfolk Sixth Form Conference
Karen Smyth (Speaker)
2 Mar 2022Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Schools engagement
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Norfolk Record Office: Data Impact Visualisation
Karen Smyth (Trainer)
21 Oct 2021Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Workshop with external stakeholders/organisations
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Finding Paston Footprints: co-organizer of Norfolk Record Office's Autumn seminar series (13 papers)
Karen Smyth (Organiser)
Aug 2021 → Oct 2021Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in conference
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Norfolk Green Care Network (External organisation)
Karen Smyth (Lead)
2021 → 2022Activity: Membership › Social or cultural organisation
Press/Media
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BBC History Extra Podcast: Karen Smyth talks with Emily Briffett about the Paston Letters.
21/08/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Celebrating Life-changing Research at UEA Awards - feature on Karen Smyth
18/05/22
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Norfolk Live: Stunning 3D Models show Medieval Norfolk
23/02/22
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Radio Norfolk interview: Finding Paston Footprints
9/12/21
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media
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New exhibition reveals the secrets of famous Norfolk family
6/08/21 → 7/09/21
3 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media