People in ACE-CSR Team
The ACE-CSR Team
Dr Biju Issac is the Director of the Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research (ACE-CSR). He is Head of Subject (Networks & Cyber Security) in the Department of Computer & Information Sciences at Northumbria University. Dr Issac’s research interests are in computer networks, cybersecurity, and AI/machine learning (text mining/image processing). He specifically works on mitigation techniques in cyber security that use AI/Machine learning and hate speech/fake news detection. He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed research publications on networks and security and has been successful in external funding for cyber security projects from Lockheed Martin Space (USA), Alan Turing Institute (working for UK Defense and Security) and various others. He collaborates with the North East Business Resilience Center (NEBRC), headed by cyber police, which works with the university’s cyber clinic. In the context of CyBOK, his research closely aligns with ‘Malware & Attack Technologies’, ‘Adversarial Behaviour’, ‘Security Operations and Incident Management’, ‘Web and Mobile Security’, and ‘Network Security’.
Prof Nauman Aslam is a Professor of Computer Networks and Security in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences, Northumbria University, UK. Professor Aslam is leading the Cyber Security and Network Systems (CyberNets) research group at Northumbria University. His research interests cover diverse but interconnected areas related to communication networks. His current research efforts are focused on addressing problems related to wireless body area networks and IoT, network security, QoS-aware communication in industrial wireless sensor networks and the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in communication networks. He has led an Erasmus Mundus Action-2 project titled Sustainable Green Economies through Learning, Innovation, Networking and Knowledge Exchange (gLINK), which is funded by the European Union (worth 3.03 million Euros). He has published over 100 papers in peer-reviewed journals and conferences. Professor Aslam is a member of IEEE. In the context of CyBOK, his research closely aligns with ‘Malware & Attack Technologies’, ‘Adversarial Behaviour’, ‘Security Operations and Incident Management’, ‘Web and Mobile Security’, and ‘Network Security’.
Prof Pam Briggs holds a Research Chair in Applied Psychology at Northumbria University and is a Visiting Professor at Newcastle University. She is Co-Director of the UK Centre for Digital Citizens, a £9m, 5-year collaboration with the Universities of Newcastle, Edinburgh and UCL involving £3.7m from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), with matched funding from the universities and industry partners. Pam leads on the Northumbria work, taking responsibly for over £2m in external research funding distributed across four faculties, but is also the lead for the ‘safe citizen’ challenge area, dealing with online harms and human-centred cybersecurity and explicitly addressing the CyBOK themes of Risk Management and Governance, Human Factors and Privacy and Online Rights. Pam is one of the founder members of the UK’s Research Institute in Sociotechnical Cybersecurity and ran Northumbria’s Academic Centre for Cybersecurity until 2023. Her research addresses issues of trust, privacy, identity and cybersecurity in the digital world, and her most recent publications highlight issues of inclusivity, diversity, resilience and peer learning in relation to cybersecurity.
Dr James Nicholson is Associate Professor of Computer Science in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences at Northumbria University. Dr. Nicholson’s research interests are in the domains of social engineering, cyber security peer influence and information dissemination, and usable authentication. James’ recent work focuses on improving the cybersecurity awareness and behaviours of communities through embedding knowledgeable peers to encourage open discussions around security and serve as behaviour change role models. He is also interested in user privacy and how groups of users (children, parents, older adults) experience location tracking technologies, as well as how CCTV video can be crowdsourced to de-centralise the surveillance landscape. More recently, he has developed tools and methodologies for uncovering and understanding employees’ mental models of security threats with the aim of improving training programmes and/or organisational policies, as well as practical means for improving users’ protection against these security threats (e.g. phishing). In the context of CyBOK, his research closely aligns with ‘Human Factors’.
Prof Marion Oswald is Professor in Law at the University of Northumbria. Building on her background as a practicing lawyer within Government and technology companies, she has developed a particular specialism in the use of digital technologies and big data within policing and the wider public sector. With experience in both private and public sector legal and policy practice and a PhD in Law, she focuses on research in technology law and policy, information rights and data ethics, with a particular focus on policing, national security, justice and human rights on a national and international level. Her career of over 30 years has spanned several contexts: law firms, as in-house counsel for Apple and McAfee, and the UK central government, including national security, academia, policymakers, and oversight functions. She was awarded the MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2022 for services to digital innovation. In the context of CyBOK, her research closely aligns with ‘Human Factors’, ‘Privacy & Online Rights and ‘Law & Regulation.
Dr Dawn Branley-Bell is an Associate Professor of Cyberpsychology & Director of the Psychology and Communication Technology Lab (PaCT Lab) at Northumbria University. She is a Medical Research Foundation Fellow, Chartered Psychologist (cPsychol.) and Chair of the British Psychological Society (BPS) Cyberpsychology Section. Dr Branley-Bell’s paper on Explainable AI won the best paper award at HCI International Conference (2020), and her paper on Cookie Consent won best paper at the International Legal Informatics Symposium, Salzburg (2020). Dr Branley-Bell is also Chair of the British Psychological Society (BPS) Cyberpsychology Section. Her research interests include: Online communication/behaviour and how this links to health and wellbeing, cybersecurity, explainable AI and technology-based interventions to support and/or promote positive behaviour change. In the context of CyBOK, her research closely aligns with ‘Human Factors’.
Dr Fouad Khelifi is currently an Associate Professor in Computer Science in the department of Computer and Information Sciences, where he is involved in the teaching of various modules in the areas of computer science and am carrying out research in computer vision and machine learning, image and video processing, biometrics and multimedia forensics, and medical image analysis. He joined the Queen’s University of Belfast as a research student in 2004 and received a PhD degree from the School of Computer Science in 2007. He then held a research position in the Digital Media and Systems Research Institute, University of Bradford, for about two years before joining Northumbria University in 2010. In the context of CyBOK, his research closely aligns with ‘Forensics’ and ‘Cyber Physical Systems’.
Prof Longzhi Yang is a Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science at Northumbria University. He is currently the Head of Education in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences, following his role as the Programme Leader of BSc/MComp programmes in cybersecurity and digital forensics until 2018. Longzhi’s research focuses on the theoretical development of Artificial Intelligence approaches especially under uncertain environments, and their real-world applications including in the fields of cybersecurity and digital forensics. Specifically he works on projects in Artificial/Computational Intelligence, Machine Learning, Cybersecurity/Digital Forensics, Robotics, Planning/Scheduling, Automatic Control, Additive/Responsive Manufacturing, Decision Making Support and their real-world applications. His research has been founded by EPSRC, ESRC, Innovate UK, RAEng, Newton Fund, Royal Society, and other industry partners. In the context of CyBOK, his research closely aligns with ‘Malware & Attack Technologies’, ‘Adversarial Behaviour’, ‘Intrusion Detection’, ‘Forensics’ and ‘Network Security’.
Prof Paul Vickers works in the department of Computer and Information Sciences. His research applies computational perceptualisation and auditory visualisation to Total Network Defence, specifically the use of sonification for network monitoring, situational awareness, and malicious traffic detection. Most recently he developed a soundscape sonification system that led to the identification of botnet traffic that had gone undetected by a network’s Intrusion Detection System. In addition, Vickers collaborated with Prof. Lynne Coventry (Abertay) in Information Assurance and Information Risk research that studied the implications of employee policy compliance (especially behavioural intentions as affected by local security culture) on writing policies, training, shadow policies, and enabling organisations to gauge their levels of secure behaviour. In the context of CyBOK, his research closely aligns with ‘Malware & Attack Technologies’, ‘Security Operations and Incident Management’, ‘Forensics’ and ‘Network Security’.
Dr Neera Jeyamohan is an Assistant Professor and Programme Leader for Networks and Cybersecurity programme. She is a member of Cybernets Research Group at Northumbria University and also serves as Expert Fellow for Security Privacy Identity Trust in the Digital Economy (SPRITE+). She is currently the institutional PI for SPRITE+ funded project Fact-Chkd. She is also an active contributor to EU-funded projects, serving as Co-I for HarmonicAI (EU funded staff exchange program investigating human-guided privacy preserving explainable AI models for digital health) and Co-I on Digihealth-Asia (European Union funded Erasmus+ Capacity Building Project). Her recent research focuses on the potential misuse of generative AI and LLMs by adversaries (i.e dis/misinformation, deepfake, social engineering attacks, APTs) to expose sensitive information and manipulate user behaviour. In the context of CyBOK, her research closely aligns with ‘Adversarial Behaviour’, ‘Security Operations and Incident Management’, ‘Web and Mobile Security’, and ‘Network Security’.
Dr Farah Ahmed is a Lecturer in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences at Northumbria University. Her research interests are in digital image and video forensics applications using AI-based methods. She specifically works on machine learning and deep learning techniques for image and video forensic applications. Farah has published papers in the following topics: Temporal Image Forensics for Picture Dating based on Machine Learning, A machine learning-based approach for picture acquisition timeslot prediction using defective pixels, Temporal image forensic analysis for picture dating with deep learning. In the context of CyBOK, her research closely aligns with ‘Forensics’, ‘Cryptography’, ‘Malware and Attack Technologies’, ‘Authentication, Authorization and Accountability’, and ‘Network Security’.
Philip Anderson is an Assistant Professor at Northumbria University. He has over 16 years of teaching digital forensics and incident response in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Philip also currently teaches digital investigations and digital evidence to police officer students on the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship programme. He consulted with the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) from 2010 up until 2021 to identify emerging and future ICT risks in the area of Information Security Risk Assessment and Management. His current research focuses on the application of artificial intelligence to digital forensic challenges. In the context of CyBOK, his research closely aligns with ‘Forensics’, ‘Human Factors’ and ‘Cyber Physical Systems’.
Prof Hamid Jahankhani gained his PhD from the Queen Mary College, University of London. In 1999 he moved to the University of East London (UEL) to become the first Professor of Information Security and Cyber Criminology at the university in 2010. Hamid’s principal research area for a number of years has been in the field of cyber security, information security and digital forensics. Professor Jahankhani is the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Electronic Security and Digital Forensics, published by Inderscience and general chair of the annual International Conference on Global Security, Safety and Sustainability (ICGS3). Hamid has edited and contributed to over 25 books and has over 300 conference and journal publications, as well as various blogs and BBC radio interviews. In the context of CyBOK, his research closely aligns with ‘Security Operations and Incident Management’, ‘Human Factors’ and ‘Cyber Physical Systems’.
Prof Georgios A. Antonopoulos is Professor of Criminology at Northumbria University. His research interests include the intersection of organised crime and illegal markets with Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). He has led and managed projects funded by the European Commission, the ESRC, and the British Ministry of Justice. Prof. Antonopoulos is member of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime, board member of the Cross-Border Crime Colloquium, series editor of the Routledge Studies in Organised Crime, and editor-in-chief of the journal Trends in Organised Crime. In 2014-2015 he served as executive director of the International Association for the Study of Organised Crime (IASOC). He has acted as expert or consultant to the strategic analysis sector, RAND, the Centre for the Study of Democracy (Bulgaria), the HMRC, the British Police, the UK Cabinet Office, the UK Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, the Brazilian Ministry of Justice, the US Department of Commerce, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Since 2019 he has been a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. In the context of CyBOK, his research closely aligns with ‘Human Factors’.
Dr Claire Bessant is a socio-legal scholar and Associate Professor at Northumbria University. She is a Fellow at the civil society organisation CONNECTED by DATA and also sits on the Society of Legal Scholars Executive Committee. She has published in the fields of family law, privacy law, data protection, information sharing and human rights, and has contributed to government and parliamentary consultations, on both privacy and domestic abuse. At Northumbria, Claire is a member of and part of the management group of Northumbria’s Gender, Violence and Abuse Interdisciplinary Research Theme. Given her interests within and beyond the legal discipline, Claire has membership of both the Socio-Legal Studies Association and the Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR). Claire has also been appointed to the ESRC, AHRC and UKRI Peer Review Colleges. In the context of CyBOK, her research closely aligns with ‘Human Factors’ and ‘Law & Regulation‘.
Prof Helena Farrand Carrapico is Professor of International Relations and European Politics, as well as Jean Monnet Chair at Northumbria University. She is internationally renowned for her work on European internal security governance. With 46 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, six monographs and edited volumes, as well as numerous policy papers, she has significantly contributed to and profoundly shaped the emergence and development of the field of EU Cybersecurity Studies, a rapidly expanding sub-field of EU Studies and International Relations. Her research agenda has been funded by the ESRC, the British Academy, the Royal Society, COST, the European Commission, the and the Scottish Parliament. She also has extensive experience with public sector partners outside of academia, as well as in managing and mentoring more junior colleagues. In the context of CyBOK, her research closely aligns with ‘Human Factors’ and ‘Law & Regulation‘.
Dr Ying-Lung Daniel Ho, an Associate Professor of Nanophotonics and Electrical Engineering, joined Northumbria University in 2019. His research group, the Nanophotonic Engineering Laboratory (NEL), explores various research areas, including artificially structured functional materials, opto-electrical characteristics, scattering reflectance measurements, micro/nanofabrication techniques, and real-time monitoring using machine learning and the Internet of Things (IoT). These research endeavours pave the way for applications in nanophotonics, optoelectronics, energy storage, smart medical devices, and quantum technologies. His current research projects are funded by EPSRC. These include: Additive Micro/Nano-Manufacturing of Structured Piezoelectric Active Materials for Intelligent Stent Monitoring (EPSRC ECR International Collaboration Grant with the University of Bristol, University of Southampton, Tampere University, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, and Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology – EP/Y003551/1); Hyperuniform Disordered Metasurfaces for Selective Absorbers (EPSRC standard research grant with the University of Surrey and the University of Bristol – EP/Y016440/1); In the context of CyBOK, his research closely aligns with the ‘Human Factors and Physical Layer & Telecommunications Security’.
Prof Nick Neave is a Professor within the Department of Psychology at Northumbria University. He is the Director of Hoarding Research Group and the Chair of UK Hoarding Partnership. He delivers options on ‘Hoarding’, ‘Parapsychology’ and ‘Hormones & Behaviour’ at Undergraduate level. He is currently supervising PhD students exploring hoarding behaviours; conspiracy beliefs; and superstitious beliefs. In a study ‘Cybersecurity risks of digital hoarding behaviours’ funded by CREST (Centre for Research and Evidence on Security Threats), they examine digital hoarding behaviours, their psychological traits, and associated cybersecurity risks in organisations. It defines digital hoarding as accumulating excessive digital files leading to stress and inefficiencies. Through three studies, a questionnaire was developed to measure these behaviours, revealing types of digital hoarders and motivations like compliance, anxiety, or collection. Key findings emphasize organizational impacts, data retention challenges, and the need for tailored policies and tools to mitigate risks and enhance data management. In the context of CyBOK, his research closely aligns with the ‘Human Factors’ and Privacy & Online Rights.
Dr Mehzeb Rahman Chowdhury is an inventor, instructor, criminologist, and criminal law barrister. He is the innovator of the MABMAT Crime Scene Imaging Rover, which has received acclaim from the American Bar Association (ABA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). His work has been showcased by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Scientific Program Committee at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), as well as the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences (CSoFS). Dr Chowdhury’s research has been published in 20 countries, in eight languages, with headlining museum exhibits for his ground-breaking work in forensic science at the National Science and Media Museum, Bradford, and the Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester. His research interests include forensic science, policing studies, futures studies, criminal justice histories, science and technology studies, artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), virtual reality(VR), and outer space studies. In the context of CyBOK, his research closely aligns with the ‘Forensics’, ‘Human Factors’ and ‘Cyber Physical Systems’.
Dr Muhammad Muzammal is a Lecturer in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences at Northumbria University, specializing in data science, blockchain, and graph analytics. His research focuses on innovative techniques for processing and analyzing complex datasets, including evolving graphs, body sensor networks, and probabilistic databases. Notable contributions include SNCA (Semi-Supervised Node Classification for evolving large attributed graphs), published in Big Data Mining and Analytics in 2024, which addresses scalable graph classification in dynamic environments. Dr. Muzammal has also explored multi-sensor data fusion in body sensor networks, emphasizing medical data analysis through ensemble approaches (Information Fusion, 2020). He has advanced blockchain technologies, exploring distributed databases and spatio-temporal query optimization (Future Generation Computer Systems, 2019). In the context of CyBOK, his research closely aligns with ‘Malware & Attack Technologies’, and ‘Network Security’.
Dr James Ranjith Kumar Rajasekaran is a Lecturer in Electrical Engineering at Northumbria University, specializing in the cybersecurity of power systems. He earned his Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, in 2014, and completed his PhD in Cybersecurity of Power System Networks at the National University of Singapore in 2021. His research focuses on detecting stealthy cyber-physical attacks in smart grids. Notable publications include “Detection of Stealthy Cyber-Physical Line Disconnection Attacks in Smart Grid” and “Electromagnetic Transients-Based Detection of Data Manipulation Attacks in Three Phase Radial Distribution Networks. Dr. Rajasekaran’s interdisciplinary approach enhances the resilience of smart grids against cyber threats, bridging the gap between electrical engineering and cybersecurity. In the context of CyBOK, his research closely aligns with ‘Malware & Attack Technologies’, and ‘Network Security’.