FUNDING – NOW CLOSED

Applications should respond to the challenges identified in the NCSC Problem Book or the Cyber-Physical problem set.  Whilst the most relevant challenge in the Problem Book is Problem 5, the other problems are also relevant to OT security. The Cyber-Physical problem set currently includes:

  • How do we build security for products with long operational lives?
  • How do we incentivise better security for cyber-physical systems?
  • How can we understand the security of a wide variety of cyber-physical assets?
  • How do we have confidence in the security of a cyber-physical system?
  • How can we utilise upcoming technologies in a secure way within cyber-physical systems?

Proposals should make clear how the proposal addresses Cyber-Physical and OT aspects of the problem.

Fellowship call document available HERE

  • Explore the problem space to determine the research questions that need to be addressed and the benefits and means of growing the research topic beyond the initial period of a year.
  • Engage with existing, established communities or establish a new community around the topic.
  • Identify and engage with relevant research projects that fall under your scope and identify new opportunities to develop and grow the area.
  • Consider the pipeline for and sustainability of the topic, providing development opportunities, establish pathways to develop a new research angle, or connect relevant communities that are currently disparate.

The period of the Fellowship (1st April 2024 – 31st March 2025) is intended to be exploratory and stimulate your own innovation and creativity. Therefore, the exact nature and format of the deliverables to satisfy the responsibilities outlined above will naturally vary. The specifics of the exact programme of work to achieve the following can be discussed with the NCSC Technical Lead and the RITICS Co-Directors. The initial set of desired outcomes are:

  • Demonstrate how you have built the community.
  • Present outcomes of your problem definition activities.
  • Articulate existing and recurrent research questions.
  • Articulate the strategy for the topic going forward.

A 2 page CV and a 1 page plan of work which clearly indicates the topic area being addressed should be provided describing the plan to deliver the desired outputs of the chosen topic. Breakdowns of any known costs should be included – costings should be calculated using the FEC model.

Applications should be sent to Furrah Hussain, RITICS Programme Manager (ritics@imperial.ac.uk).   We must receive your application by 1700 on 12 January 2024.

Fellowship call document available HERE

Activity

Date
Call for Fellows Published by Wednesday 1st November 2023
Proposals due to be submitted Friday 12th January 2024
Announcement of Results Thursday 1st February 2024
Fellowships Starts Monday 1st April 2024

Fellowship Completed

  Monday 31st March 2025

 

Fellowship awardee for 2023

1. Siraj Ahmed Shaikh is a Professor in Systems Security at Swansea University (UK)

His research interests lie at the intersection of cybersecurity, systems engineering and computer science addressing cyber-physical systems security for automotive and transport systems. He is also Co-Founder and Chief Scientist at CyberOwl, which is dedicated to risk analytics and security monitoring for the maritime sector. Previously, he has also held a Royal Academy of Engineering’s Industry Fellowship hosted at HORIBA MIRA (2015-2016). Siraj has been involved in research, development and evaluation of large-scale distributed secure systems for over twenty-two years. His doctoral and post-doctoral research involved design and verification of security and safety-critical systems. He has recently co-authored a book on “Formal Methods for Software Engineering Languages, Methods, Application Domains” published by Springer (2022).

Siraj currently serves as the Chair for the Research and Innovation (R&I) SIG at AESIN. He is also chairing the safety and security workstream of the Global Automotive Advisory Council (GAAC) at SEMI Europe. He has over a hundred peer-reviewed research publications and has successfully supervised nine PhD and two MRes students to completion. He is a Chartered Fellow of BCS.

2. Dr. Sridhar Adepu is a Lecturer in Cyber Physical Systems(CPS) security at the University of Bristol

Within the Bristol Cyber Security Group, he plays a pivotal role as a core member, driving cutting-edge research and innovative teaching initiatives in CPS security. One of Dr. Adepu’s most remarkable achievements was spearheading the establishment of a CPS security testbeds facility in Singapore, specifically focusing on water and smart grid systems. Notably, he also curated and produced the first-ever dataset for CPS Security , which has been widely embraced by over 5000 researchers across approximately 50 countries worldwide. In addition to his academic pursuits, Dr. Adepu has demonstrated his expertise in organizing unique cyber security exercises. His instrumental role in conducting an operational industrial water plant exercise, subsequently adopted by NATO’s cyber defence team in the prestigious Locked Shields security exercises, showcases his leadership and innovative thinking in the field of CPS security. Prior to his tenure at the University of Bristol, Dr. Adepu was affiliated with renowned institutions such as Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), both based in the United States. Dr. Adepu’s research endeavours are truly interdisciplinary, as he tackles the intricate security challenges associated with CPS, including Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) such as water and power systems, as well as manufacturing processes. His diverse skill set encompasses the application of cyber security, formal methods, and Artificial Intelligence to bolster CPS security, setting him apart as a leading expert in the field. His accomplishments have been recognized through prestigious grants, such as the EPSRC RITICS research institutes project on “RESICS: Resilience and Safety to attacks in ICS and CPS,” and the EPSRC “Supergen Energy Networks Impact Hub Phase II,” where he has taken the helm in leading CPS security initiatives.

Dr. Adepu enthusiastically welcomes collaboration in Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), encompassing Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) such as water and power systems, manufacturing systems, etc. His primary objective is to contribute to the nation’s welfare by advancing safety and security research for the betterment of mankind.

For further details, feel free to connect with him through various platforms, including LinkedIn, Twitter, and Google Research university webpage.