Dr. Colleen Batey's main research interests lie in the field of Viking and Late Norse archaeology with particular reference to the Northern Isles and Caithness and the North Atlantic region. She has excavated widely on several major sites: Jarlshof in Shetland; Brough of Birsay and Birsay Village, Earl’s Bu, Orphir, Westness, Rousay in Orkney; Freswick Links, Caithness; and Hofstađir, Iceland. She has also carried out and directed excavations at Tintagel Castle, Cornwall (writing the revised guidebook to the site) and St Kilda, Scotland. She has published extensively on this research.

A major area of Dr. Batey's work focuses on the promotion of Orkney (and to a some extent Shetland) as centers for cultural tourism. She has spent the last 20 years working with small expedition ships which undertake day-long visits to the main UNESCO sites in Orkney, for example. She is committed to ensuring that the archaeology of the region is showcased to the largest possible international audience.

Dr. Batey is also honorary professor at Hunter College, New York and formerly president of the Scottish Society for Northern Studies.