Reflections on our first year in the CDT: Students from the 2021 Cohort

Students from our 2021 cohort recently enjoyed their viva session in which they had the opportunity to present their summer project and officially mark the end of the taught component of their course and embark on the research phase.

This viva session is always a highlight for us and this year was no exception. The variety of talks was inspiring and there were some superb presentations, with speakers delivering their talks in a calm, measured style! 

Below, we hear from some of the 2021 cohort who have written a short article about their first year experience and the move to the research phase of their PhD:

Cherry Jackson
Introduction
Having now completed the first year of a PhD through Royal Holloway's CDT, it is hard to fathom how most PhD students just simply throw themselves into the choppy waters of academia.

The first year provided a flotation device. Without the opportunity to dip a toe into the programme, gather my bearings and try out different routes, I suspect I would have been lost in a tempestuous storm of self-doubt and ill-conceived ideas in the nascent stages of my PhD research process.

Modules
Throughout the first year, we were encouraged to learn new skills and refine existing ones. I especially enjoyed the Geopolitics module that was mandatory in our first term. It allowed for the opportunity to navigate old routes from a different starting point. Likewise, I used the chance to choose a module in the second term to do something similar; the module Development Politics in Africa offered the chance to set my sights on a slightly different horizon.

Nevertheless, throughout much of the first year I was navigating through largely unknown waters, becoming entangled in Network Security and Computer Security, and grappling with Cryptography and Security Management. Although these were challenging to study, I can just about tread water in these subject areas now.

Projects
In our first term, we were also tasked with a group project, which fostered mutual understanding and appreciation of our multidisciplinary backgrounds. Our second term involved the research and write-up of small project, allowing us all to test ideas and research areas. The final term put much more wind in our sails: we could set our sights on a much more outlined research project, which we realised—if all went to plan—could form the basis of our doctorate subject of study.

Skills
Most Fridays and some Wednesdays would be set aside for workshops, intended to offer fresh perspectives and develop practical skills. One which was especially useful was the workshop regarding presentations and presenting; without the advice and gentle steering of Maurice, I know my ability to present would be a great deal ropier.

Another high-water mark was Ray Hunt's fortnight-long Cybersecurity Workshop. I learnt so much invaluable information that I doubt I would have ever been able to come across if it were not for the CDT.

Conclusion
The structure and content of the first year means I am on a much sturdier vessel than before, with a surer rudder and stronger sails. Consequently, I have much more assurance about my ability to deal with what lies ahead. As such, I am excited to chart a new course this year, and to begin a longer and more arduous academic journey.

 Jessica McClearn:
It's hard to believe the first year of the CDT is over. The first year pushed me outside of my comfort zone while providing a protective bubble to explore new topics and ideas before transitioning to the research phase of the PhD. Coming from a background in both anthropology and business before moving into the world of information security, I was concerned I would struggle with finding my place. However, the interdisciplinary nature of the department welcomed new thought and different perspectives throughout the modules and projects I undertook. From trying my hand at topics such as network security and cryptography to exploring modules in geo-politics and the social foundations of security and privacy, I was afforded the opportunity to try new subjects and consolidate knowledge on those I already enjoyed. It was fascinating to share the experience with the 8 of those in my cohort, especially with the diverse backgrounds we have; from anthropology to cryptography and everything in between!

Some highlights from the first year included project managing a cyber security awareness film supported by funding from the NCSC which led to the opportunity to present at their ACEs conference earlier this year, to taking up Spanish classes to build my skills for future research with the kind support of the CDT. Another good memory from the first year was the Cumberland Lodge event, where my year group presented our group project to staff and students from the ISG. This event was a great opportunity to be able to meet those from other year groups and to be inspired --and given words of wisdom (most of the time!)-- on how to navigate the coming years of the PhD programme. Seeing those who had completed fascinating international research covering multiple angles of information security inspired me to continue pursing my passion of understanding different cultures, particularly in countries which have come through conflict, in how this impacts security research.

This segways nicely to one of my personal highlights of the first year, with the opportunity to pursue research in Lebanon in July 2022 to inform my summer project which was the concluding piece of work to round off the first year. This research trip was no mean feat with a short time period for such a project. I was privileged to partner with my supervisor Dr Rikke Jensen and Dr Reem Talhouk an academic at Northumbria University, to design an ethnographic research project investigating the security practices which occur in the face of dilapidating infrastructures in the context of Lebanon. The two weeks in Beirut flew by, I was challenged and stimulated working within a new research context yet I was rewarded greatly by meeting participants who generously shared their time and knowledge. This research experience has provided a foundation for the topics which my PhD will cover where I hope to pursue multi-cited fieldwork between the Middle East and South America concerning security practices in these contexts.

 Hopefully these few paragraphs have provided a snapshot into life in the first year of the CDT. Throughout the many experiences of the first year, I have been fortunate to have made some great friendships across the different year groups and to have met some fantastic mentors also. Here is to year 2!

Taylor Robinson:
It is difficult to believe that it has been over a year since I started my doctoral journey in the CDT at Royal Holloway. From the first week in the programme, I was provided opportunities to challenge myself and grow as a professional and academic, as well as learn about the PhD journey from older cohorts.

One of the most fulfilling aspects of my first year in the CDT has been the course's interdisciplinary nature. My background is in the social sciences and international business, so the opportunity to explore new perspectives of security and technology through the guidance of peers, lecturers, and independent study, has been unbelievably fulfilling and inspiring.

The first-year training modules gave me a strong foundational understanding of cybersecurity practices, and I learned a lot from introductory modules in network and computer security, cryptography, security management, geography, and social foundations. It was also helpful to see how these concepts can be applied to industry through the site visits and presentations in the second term of the CDT training year.

However, one of the most fulling experiences was the first-year group project, which focused on Apple's 2021 CSAM technology. This project allowed my cohort to develop stronger professional (and personal) relationships and also demonstrated the importance of interdisciplinary teams in addressing technology-driven social issues. For several weeks, it was intellectually demanding, challenging, and fascinating to see how each of us applied our speciality areas of knowledge to develop solutions to the main problems arising from Apple's 2021 CSAM technology. I learned a lot about the technological limitations of several different programs. I also had my ideas challenged by my colleagues, forcing me to consider all potential consequences of Apple's technology in an entirely new way. These views were further challenged and developed through our feedback from fellow CDT students and staff after our cohort's group presentation at the 2021 November Cumberland Lodge event. The entire group project experience introduced me to one of my favourite parts of the CDT – the opportunity for us to have our research discussed, challenged, and supported to improve future iterations of research.

The CDT has also proven especially beneficial by providing additional opportunities to develop skills outside the official training modules. Within my first year, I have been involved in several external opportunities, including helping to create a student-led project for the inter-CDT Winter School, participating in the Cyber 9/12 competition, and networking with other PhDs through the "23 Things" program and at the inter-CDT Summer School. I have also received training more specific to my research interests, such as becoming involved in the newly formed Ethnography reading group and attending an Ethnography Summer School, where I learned from leading academics about the challenges and opportunities of fieldwork.

The first year concluded with the submission of our summer projects, where I focused on understanding how technology is used and negotiated within single-parent families with financial insecurities. When commencing the research, my supervisor and I agreed that the summer project would be a pilot study for my broader PhD thesis. I am so glad I took this approach, primarily due to the challenges I encountered at several stages throughout the research process (many of which were out of my control). The summer project has allowed me to recognise these potential barriers and develop possible methods of mitigating and coping with future challenges throughout my doctoral thesis.

Moving forward, I am unbelievably excited to begin the research phase of my doctoral journey. Given the varied experiences and professional opportunities provided in the first year, I believe I have a solid foundation to begin thinking about my research aims and questions. I also feel confident that I will have the support and continued professional opportunities to make the most of the next few years (and beyond) through my CDT experience.

 Alex Hodder-Williams: 
With our recent set of presentations, our first year as part of the CDT has come to an end.

I thoroughly enjoyed the taught portion of the program, learning a lot of skills and gaining perspective that has ultimately shaped the research project I will be undertaking. On reflection, I see the year as 3 complementary parts: a first term of structured courses, a second term with more freedom to explore, and a final chunk of personal research. Weaved throughout these were industry visits, training days, and some tailored programmes such as the classical readings group and security theories course all of which provided additional insight into the cyber security landscape.

My personal highlight was Cumberland Lodge, an event containing two days of talks and activities. This was a great opportunity to really integrate into the wider CDT and learn from older students, alongside presenting the group project we had worked on to a very kind and attentive audience, many of whom shared our bleary eyes and slight headaches from the previous evening of festivities.

Moving forward into the research phase of the programme is very exciting. Although the first year was enjoyable, I didn’t feel that I was able to focus on my specific interests. We were consistently encouraged to experiment within our projects and programmes of study, and this meant I didn’t pursue what had initially brought me to this programme. This is not a regret nor a criticism, in fact I see it as one of the main strengths and attractive parts of the CDT, however I am very much excited to have a primary focus and get deeply involved in a singular research area.