Since 2014, she has been the chief operating officer for Dajin Resources Corp. and president, Tuya Terra Geo Corp. Hickson studied at the University of British Columbia and received her PhD in geology and volcanology in 1987.

[1] As a student in 1980, Hickson was camping 14 km east of Mount St. Helens when the volcano erupted; she credited this event with changing the course of her career.

[3] Hickson's early career focused on assessing past and future eruptions and hazard impacts of young volcanoes in Canada and globally.

In 1998, she worked with the Province of British Columbia on Thunderbird III, a civil protection exercise focused on a hypothetical eruption of Mount Baker, Washington state, USA.

[4] She also worked closely with the International Civil Aviation Organization creating pilot and airspace regulations for flight in regions impacted by volcanic ash.

[7] Combining her management and volcanological expertise as well as her global experience, she became a Director and Chief Operating Officer of Dajin Resources Corp., an energy metals company surveys lithium brines.

This Project ran from 1996 to 2002, in partnership with Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru and was co-funded by the Canadian International Development Agency and the participating countries.

[19][20][21] Hickson is one of a few female leaders in earth science and is an adjunct professor at The University of British Columbia where she mentors women and young managers and sits on thesis committees.

With colleague and lichen specialist, Trevor Goward, they presented a comprehensive application for its addition to Canada's tentative list of World Heritage sites.

Although unsuccessful, they will continue to support the park with its rich geology and abundance of flora and fauna as well as critical habitat for the endangered Mountain Caribou.

In 2017 Trevor and Catherine submitted an application for Wells Gray Park to be added to Canada's tentative list for UNESCO world heritage status.

Hopefully, this latest discovery will provide new impetus for Wells Gray Park to achieve UNESCO world heritage status in the future.

Catherine was instrumental in recognizing the potential significance of a newly discovered cave in Wells Gray Park first reported to her in early May 2018.