Kat holds PhD en cotutelle in physics from University Luis Pasteur in Strasbourg (France) and Charles University in Prague (Czech Republic). She worked as a junior researcher and post-doc at the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (2000-2009), completed a post-doc at the University of Amsterdam (2009-2013) and after received a MacGillavry Fellowship position as an assistant professor at the University of Amsterdam (2013-2021) where she ran her own group and experimental lab.

Kat joined AUC in July 2021 as a tutor and lecturer in the Sciences major. At the University of Amsterdam and AUC, she previously taught courses on Condensed Matter. Kat's main research interests include condensed matter physics, quantum optics, optoelectronics and density functional theory. Besides her academic career, Kat also co-founded the nanotechnology start-up Spectris-dot, where she holds an honorary position of a scientific adviser. Kat also works part-time as a fine artist at NanoKatArt.