holds a Masters Degree in Botany with specialisation in Ecology & Plant Pathology. She received the UGC/NET fellowship for Ph.D. in 1994 & completed her PhD in Botany from Vikram University, Ujjain. She has done her post-doctoral work at IIT Delhi in the area of Indoor Air Pollution.
Dr. Katiyar has vast research experience and is the recepient of Young Scientist Award twice, in 2001 and 2004 from the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India. Her areas of research include ambient and indoor air pollution, exposure studies on plants and humans. She has more than 20 publications in national and international journals of repute to her credit. She is also a reviewer for many international journals. She has been Fellow of the Linnean Society of London. She has taught at Gargi College and at the Department of Microbiology, Institute of Home Economics, Delhi University. 
Presently, Dr. Katiyar is working as Assistant Regional Director in Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and posted at IGNOU Regional Centre Delhi - 2 Rajghat, New Delhi.