Author: Anissa Alifandi

Meet the ISST’s research team

In 2024, the ISST welcomed Dr Cathy Mulligan (Advanced Research Fellow) and Dr Gareth Tear (Postdoctoral Research Associate) to the growing team. Over the coming months, Cathy and Gareth will work with our leadership to drive towards the institute’s vision of a more secure and resilient world.

We sat down with Cathy and Gareth to find out more about their backgrounds and hopes for the months ahead:

Can you tell us a bit about your background and experience in security and/or resilience?

Cathy Mulligan: I’ve been on a fantastic journey of using digital technologies to build a more sustainable and resilient world for well over a decade now. It all started back when I was working as an engineer in Stockholm and was sent as technical support on the 2005 Beringia research trip to the North Pole on an ice breaker.

That moment inspired me to pursue a Master’s in Engineering for Sustainable Development and a PhD at the University of Cambridge. Since then, I’ve been lucky to lead exciting sustainability and resilience projects across India, Malaysia, the UK, the EU, and Australia, focusing especially on “community-based resilience”. This has included spinning out start-ups, research, being a Fellow at the World Economic Forum and member of the UN High-Level Panel on digital cooperation. It’s been a rewarding adventure, blending innovation with meaningful impact, and I have developed a network of truly wonderful collaborators from all walks of life across the world. Many days, I cannot believe how lucky I have been.

Gareth Tear: I completed my PhD in physics, looking at how transparent materials respond to shock and impact, under the supervision of Dr Bill Proud. Bill is the academic co-director of the ISST’s MSc Security and Resilience course, as well as a Security Science Fellow. I did my postdoc in the same group, this time investigating concrete in multiple impact scenarios. After that I co-founded Synbiosis, a start-up developing and innovating novel armour materials. In short, I’ve been in security research, development and commercialisation for a while now!

Cathy on a boat during her polar expedition, with the sun setting in the background
Cathy aboard the ice breaker during the Beringia expedition

Why did you want to join the ISST?

CM: Like Gareth, I’ve been around the ISST for a while now, first with the institute many years ago. I worked on the economics of cybersecurity and was Co-Investigator for the Cloud Intelligent Protection at Run-Time (CIPART) grant, for which Professor Emil Lupu was PI. I was drawn to the team’s cross-disciplinary approach to tackling crucial topics related to security and resilience, and the fact that I had worked with several of the academics before. I love the idea of bringing together different perspectives to solve real-world challenges—it’s like creating a puzzle with pieces from every field.

As someone with a strong background in telecommunications, I’m excited to contribute to discussions in that space, especially around my latest book on 5G Advanced core network. I’ve spent much of my career bridging disciplines as an interdisciplinary researcher, and the ISST provided the perfect environment to keep exploring how we can work together to tackle big challenges.

GT: I feel strongly aligned with the institute’s mission and vision. I don’t think there are many others looking at security and resilience in the global, ‘big picture’ context, something that is becoming increasingly important as the world experiences a vast range of security crises across interconnected industries.

I also really like research and understanding new ideas and concepts. At Synbiosis, I had to learn about the manufacturing to market journey for defence technology – including IP law, supply chains and interactions with buyers. I saw how challenging this is to navigate for start-ups and individuals wanting to contribute to the defence industry. I think the ISST and its network of experts can positively affect how the industry operates, as well as other areas of scientific research and technological innovation related to security.

Watch Gareth on an explosives course where they were measuring safe separation distances between sticks of dynamite.

What would you say are the most significant security-related challenges in your field that we should be focusing on in the next 5-10 years? How do you think the ISST’s work can/should contribute to addressing these?

CM: The next decade is going to be thrilling for those involved in security. Geopolitical and technical shifts are dramatically changing the landscape nearly every day.

We’ll need to tackle challenges like the rise of quantum computing, our increasing dependence on digital technologies, and the urgency of adapting to climate change. The silver lining? Digital technologies can be part of the solution if we use them wisely.

We also need a complete redesign of engineering education as the reliance on mega-infrastructures becomes more susceptible to the impacts of climate change in the longer term. To get there, we need bold moves—like completely rethinking how we educate engineers and designing systems that empower communities instead of relying on these fragile mega-infrastructures. The ISST can play a pivotal role by driving cutting-edge research, fostering collaboration, and inspiring the next generation to think outside the box.

GT: As I’ve mentioned, there are considerable difficulties in manufacturing in the defence industry. It seems like processes and systems haven’t progressed in decades. This causes problems for new players who innovate and can drive the industry forward. Ultimately, we don’t see the advances we need to address global security issues.

Furthermore, risks to supply chains and critical resources increase significantly due to their interconnectedness. Not only do we need to drastically improve the resilience of physical mega-infrastructures as Cathy already touched upon, we need to tackle how the health and social care system, food stocks and our energy capacity respond to shocks.

I think the ISST is uniquely placed to understand and shape the solutions to these problems. Our international and interdisciplinary network is extremely well-placed to create more flexible, resilient and effective ways of working, not just in defence manufacturing but any system societies rely upon for security.

What do you hope to achieve at the ISST?

CM: I want to deliver top-notch research and insights that help people live joyful, fulfilling lives while reducing our environmental impact. It’s all about building a future that’s sustainable, secure and full of possibilities!

GT: I’m currently working on a practical module for the MSc Security and Resilience course. I think it’s essential that the next generation of security professionals apply the theory they learn about.

In terms of research, I’d like to contribute to a better equipped defence manufacturing sector that ensures innovators in the industry thrive.

I’d also like to support start-ups at the White City Innovation Ecosystem and NATO DIANA in the development of novel defence technology. We’re already applying for EU funding that will hopefully push this ahead.

Can you share a ‘fun’ fact about yourself?

CM: I set out to write just one book in my lifetime. Somehow, I’ve ended up writing nine! Life has a funny way of exceeding our expectations, doesn’t it?

GT: One of my hobbies is trampolining. I’m working towards doing a double-back somersault.

Highlights from the 2024 ISST annual lecture with Ambassador Yvette Stevens

On Thursday 7 November 2024, the Institute for Security Science and Technology (ISST) hosted its annual Vincent Briscoe Security Lecture. 

This year’s speaker was Ambassador Yvette Stevens, former Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the UN. Ambassador Stevens is also an Imperial alumna, having graduated in the 1970s from the Department of Electrical Engineering (now Electrical and Electronic Engineering). She then went on to become Sierra Leone’s first female engineer before kickstarting her career at the UN. 

Ambassador Stevens’ lecture, National security and resilience in the 21st century – the role of science and technology, is available to watch on the ISST’s YouTube channel. 

In case you missed it, here are our key takeaways: 

Development and security go hand in hand

Ambassador Stevens drew our attention to current challenges around access to electricity and energy security. She reminded us that there are still 675 million people living without access to electricity globally, with hundreds of millions more only having limited access. In a world where AI is quickly taking over everyday tasks and our knowledge of the universe is deepening from the billions being spent on space exploration, it is astounding that just 22% of people living in Sub-Saharan Africa have access to electricity. 

With electricity comes economic development, opportunities and security for communities and individuals. Ambassador Stevens highlights that civil unrest occurring in African countries today can at least be partially attributed to people lacking what they need to thrive in modern life, an example of this being electricity. To help combat threats arising from within, nations should be finding ways to provide their populations with reliable and (where possible) green electricity to bring about the security and benefits to society that accompany it.  

Preparing for pandemics – a priority

Ambassador Stevens could not have given this lecture without spotlighting COVID-19, one of the most devastating and recent threats to global security. The COVID-19 pandemic not only affected the health of populations but people’s livelihoods too. On a larger scale countries’ economies were also in crisis, the fallout of which caused disproportionately more suffering to lower income communities and minoritised ethnic groups within countries such as the UK and US. 

It is widely regarded that nations did not prepare sufficiently for such a pandemic, even though health experts had forewarned governments (particularly in the UK). Models have predicted that over eight million deaths could have been prevented if effective vaccines had been available in the first three months of the pandemic. 

It has taken a global pandemic to elicit the dangers of underprepared health systems. Governments should not wait for another to secure the health of their people and economies. 

Regulating AI and autonomy in defence

Ambassador Stevens also spoke of the serious challenges presented by new technologies in defence applications. This includes, but is not limited to, AI and autonomous systems. 

In the 2023 policy brief A New Agenda for Peace, UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, set out recommendations for “a legally binding instrument to prohibit lethal autonomous weapon systems that function without human control or oversight” and “to regulate all other types of autonomous weapons systems”. 

Ambassador Stevens stressed that humans must be “in the loop” at every stage of defence; from early development and proof of concept, to use in the field. The consequences of autonomous weapons being used without clear, ratified regulations is already being seen in conflict. And, we are already being warned of the dangers unregulated AI and autonomous systems pose in civilian applications. Governments, militaries, the defence industry and other stakeholders therefore have an obligation to cooperate and develop measures to manage the use of these technologies in warfare. 

The ISST’s annual Vincent Briscoe Security Lecture is given by an expert in security and resilience to an audience at Imperial. The talk typically explores the current security landscape and considers security challenges likely to affect society in the future. Previous Briscoe lectures have been delivered by a NATO Deputy Secretary General, former Director of GCHQ, former Commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police and a former Secretary of Homeland Security to President George W Bush. Watch the full series. 

Ambassador Yvette Stevens is currently an Executive-in-Residence at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy. Read more about her career.

Photography by James Tye.

The Resilient Renewable Society Summit: a student perspective

On 23-24 September 2024, Imperial College London’s Institute for Security Science and Technology (ISST), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and EIS Council hosted the Resilient Renewable Society (R2S) Summit. Emily D’Agostino, a student in the MSc Security and Resilience: Science and Technology 2024/25 cohort, attended the event and shares her insights.

Until a few weeks ago, I was a cybersecurity engineer with the United States Federal Government, responsible for the security of a suite of APIs within the DevOps cycle. I very recently paused my career in federal cybersecurity, moving from the United States to London to pursue the MSc in Security and Resilience: Science and Technology with the Institute for Security Science and Technology (ISST) at Imperial College London.

Furthering my cybersecurity career

I chose to pause my career in favour of postgraduate education because I ultimately seek to become an industry leader in cybersecurity standards, which will require a strong understanding of constantly evolving technology to effectively create secure governance. This programme will strengthen my understanding of cybersecurity technologies, bridging my foundational gaps through taught disciplines, solidifying my foundational education before I am trusted to lead in the industry.

In addition, as an American cybersecurity professional, I have only practiced cybersecurity from an American perspective, with American technologies, regulations, and frameworks. As a global issue, cybersecurity governance deserves a well-rounded understanding, deriving from diverse viewpoints. An international study of this discipline will achieve a multifaceted understanding, representative of the ubiquity of cybersecurity governance.

Beyond cybersecurity

Prior to starting the course, I attended the Resilient and Renewable Society (R2S) Summit to familiarise myself with the current landscape of security and resilience, as well as hear from the field’s leading experts. This event not only provided an excellent networking opportunity, but also allowed me to meet current and prior students of the same discipline, my future professors, and gain valuable insights into their research and perspectives. The R2S Summit introduced me to concepts of environmental, political, electrical, and infrastructural resilience, which broadened my understanding of security and cybersecurity during catastrophic scenarios.

Coming from a technology background, I often lack consideration of the physical infrastructure which supports our technical systems. Without a resilient physical foundation, our networks and the digital capabilities they enable would not exist. In federal cybersecurity, a resilient and renewable society translates to strong, impenetrable national defences against domestic terrorism and state-sponsored attacks, among other threats. With the increasing prevalence of cyber warfare, it is more critical than ever to consider the necessary precautions to safeguard national security, especially during catastrophic events.

Highlights from the event

I found Professor Washington Yotto Ochieng’s (Interim Director, ISST) discussion particularly interesting. Professor Ochieng spoke about the increasing reliance on intelligent machines and the associated risks. Maintaining the systems which power these intelligent machines, Professor Ochieng presented how disruptions due to extreme weather events, software failures/incompatibilities, or political instability could lead to downstream disastrous outcomes in our current technology-dependent world.

Later, Dr Shlomo Wald (Chief Executive Officer at TAW) presented the resilience challenges faced by the Jordan Valley. This region, grappling with both climate change and political conflict, has an urgent need for regional collaboration through fully automated microgrids to improve access to electricity and the internet.

I am humbled by the opportunity to pursue the MSc in Security and Resilience: Science and Technology at Imperial College London, where I will study and research the future of security and resilience of this constantly evolving world. As reliance on Cyber-Physical systems grows, as does the corresponding attack surface. At Imperial, I aim to engineer resilient technology and strategies that can withstand present and future threats, technological advances, environmental changes, and geopolitical instability for a safer, more secure future.

Connect with Emily on LinkedIn