Surrey welcomes young researchers for CommNet2 PhD School
The University’s three-day PhD School in March, hosted by the Surrey Centre for Cyber Security and 5G Innovation Centre (5GIC), enabled 30 PhD students from around the country to network, share knowledge, and hear from experts in the field of cyber security.
The event, which took place in the 5G Innovation Centre from 26 to 28 March, was run by CommNet2, a network funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), aimed at building a strong community of researchers and innovators working in ICT. CommNet2 decided to make cyber security the focus for this, its second, PhD School in line with EPSRC’s Safe and Secure ICT Priority.
The three-day School included talks by leading researchers and engineers from companies such as Infineon and InterDigital, and from universities in the UK and further afield. Two Lecturers in Secure Systems from Surrey, Dr Ioana Boureanu and Dr Thanassis Giannetsos, were invited as speakers. Dr Boureanu spoke about her research into the fundamentals of wireless security, while Dr Giannetsos addressed ‘Fundamentals of Cloud and Edge Security’.
Participants also took part in cyber security demonstrations and activities led by the 5GIC and Surrey Centre for Cyber Security, brainstorming sessions and social activities, as well as visiting the National Physical Laboratory.
Dr Ioana Boureanu said: “I've had a very positive experience at the Commnet2 PhD School. The attendees were an interactive crowd who were ever curious to learn about relay attacks in wireless environments and their potential countermeasures.”
Professor O'Farrell, CommNet's Director, commented: “The 2nd CommNet PhD School on Security proved to be a great success with 30 students attending from universities across the UK. The security theme of the school was particularly timely given the government's recent calls for critical industry and services to enhance their security measures. The PhD School went a long way to informing the next generation of research leaders what the essential issues are."
Surrey’s Department of Computer Science leads work within the Surrey Centre for Cyber Security, an Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research (ACE-CSR) recognised by GCHQ.
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