Kirsten is a feminist scholar of international relations who works on gender and justice in conflict-affected states. She is Co-Director of the ANU Architectures for Peace Lab, working on the intersection of material environments and peace processes, and Co-Chief Investigator of the UKRI GCRF Gender, Justice and Security Hub. The Hub is a research consortium working at the overlap of Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality, Goal 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions, and the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

In addition, she is Chief Investigator on the Hybrid Justice project, analysing the impact of ‘hybrid’ domestic-international criminal justice mechanisms in post-conflict and transitioning states, and on the ESRC Conflict, Justice and Development project, researching the links between transitional justice and development in Colombia, Sri Lanka, Syria and Uganda. She is Co-Investigator on the GCRF Performing Violence, Engendering Change research cluster.