Who we are

Our vision 

Our mission is to build a workforce capable of anticipating and addressing the increasing risks posed by the convergence of cyber and physical systems. As hybrid threats become more complex —ranging from cyberattacks on critical infrastructure to AI-driven disinformation and physical sabotage— the need for interdisciplinary expertise has never been greater.

We provide our students with a unique, cross-disciplinary research environment that prepares them to tackle critical security challenges. In a world where the boundaries between the digital and physical realms are increasingly blurred, they are equipped to develop solutions that safeguard both.

Building on the legacy of two previous EPSRC-funded CDTs in Security Science (2010) and Cyber-Security (2018), our programme leverages UCL’s cutting-edge resources and expertise across fields such as cybersecurity, machine learning, disaster reduction, and social sciences.

This multidisciplinary approach ensures that our students can tackle cyber-physical security challenges from multiple angles—bridging the gap between digital and physical systems, and creating innovative solutions that protect both infrastructure and society.

Leadership team 

• Director: Prof. Hervé Borrion, UCL Security and Crime Science 
• Deputy Director: Prof. Madeline Carr, UCL Computer Science 
• Deputy Director: Prof. Shane Johnson, UCL Security and Crime Science 
• Deputy Director: Prof. Steve Hailes, UCL Computer Science 
• Strategic Alliances Director: Vaseem Khan, UCL Security and Crime Science 
• Strategic Alliances Director: Tim Bodley-Scott, UCL Computer Science 

Our partners 

We collaborate with a diverse range of industry partners, academic institutions, and research centres to ensure that our work is relevant and impactful. These collaborations span across engineering, natural sciences, and the social sciences, as well as key UCL departments such as Electronic and Electrical Engineering and the Advanced Research Computing Centre. Based in central London, our research centre serves as a hub for collaboration, innovative thinking, and real-world impact. 

Supervisory team

Our CDT is supported by a multidisciplinary team of supervisors, bringing expertise from diverse fields, including machine learning, digital forensics, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics, network security, industrial control systems, among others.

• Prof. Hervé Borrion (UCL Security and Crime Science)
• Prof Ben Bradford (UCL Security and Crime Science)
• Dr. Tristan Caulfield (UCL Computer Science)
• Prof. Kevin Chetty (UCL Security and Crime Science)
• Prof. Paul Gill (UCL Security and Crime Science)
• Dr. Luca Grieco (UCL Clinical Operational Research Unit)
• Prof. Benjamin Guedj (UCL Computer Science)
• Prof. Stephen Hailes (UCL Computer Science)
• Prof. James Hetherington (UCL Advanced Research Computing Centre)
• Dr. (Chris) Xiaoxuan Lu (UCL Computer Science)
• Dr. Anna Maria Mandalari (UCL Electronic and Electrical Engineering)
• Prof. Steven Murdoch (UCL Computer Science)
• Prof. Mirco Musolesi (UCL Computer Science)
• Prof. Christina Pagel (UCL Clinical Operational Research Unit)
• Dr. Fabio Pierazzi (UCL Computer Science)
• Dr. Matthew Ritchie (UCL Electronic and Electrical Engineering) 
• Dr. Sandy Schumann (UCL Security and Crime Science)
• Dr. Nilufer Tuptuk (UCL Security & Crime Science)

Project proposals

Find out more about the research projects they are supervising on our research project proposals page, which is a essential step for the application.

If you are applying via the AlbionVC-supported open topic pathway (for students with independent venture-backed projects), please still contact a supervisor to discuss your proposal.

Cyber-physical risk research

Learn more about our research, why it is important, and our structured thematic framework for tackling key challenges in cyber-physical security and resilience.