Tagged / Dr. Duncan Ki-Aries

Bournemouth University Cyber Security Researcher Wins Best Poster Award at HISC 2025

PG research

Bournemouth University (BU) is proud to announce that PhD Cyber Security researcher Serdar Akar, has been awarded Best Poster Winner at this year’s High Integrity Software Conference (HISC) 2025, held in Newport, Wales.

HISC is a leading international forum that brings together software engineers and industry practitioners to exchange knowledge, address critical challenges, and strengthen the foundations of a trustworthy software ecosystem.

Serdar’s winning poster, titled “Towards Productive Cyber Resilience and Safety Analysis in Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)”, was showcased in the conference’s Future Zone, which highlights innovative research shaping the future of high-integrity software.

Serdar was also recently named the Winner of our BU’s ‘Business Idea Challenge’, organised by the Students’ Union (SUBU). This award recognises a student-led venture that is not only highly feasible but also carries a strong social impact, aligns with the university’s sustainability priorities, and demonstrates impressive potential for future growth.

Serdar said, “To have my work recognised in both academic and entrepreneurial spheres in such a short time is immensely encouraging. It is a great privilege to be able to contribute to the research and innovation environment here at Bournemouth University.”

Dr Duncan Ki-Aries at Bournemouth University, commented, “These awards reflect the high calibre of research being undertaken at BU. Serdar’s work contributes to advancing cyber resilience and safety in complex systems, and we are delighted to see it recognised on an international stage.”

Prof Huseyin Dogan mentioned, “There are challenges centred on Model Based Systems Engineering in industry, and we are bridging theoretical benefits with practical applications. Serdar’s PhD will contribute to this domain by integrating cyber resilience and safety analysis through software tool support.”

The recognition underscores Bournemouth University’s commitment to pioneering research towards safer, secure, and more resilient digital infrastructures.

If you’re interested in learning more about these impactful projects, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with Prof. Huseyin Dogan and Dr. Duncan Ki-Aries, and others.

New Cyber Security Advisory Highlights Integration of Safety, Security, and Human Factors in Defence Systems

Industry collaboration

Following collaborative research on Secure by Design (SbD) conducted by Bournemouth University (BU) and Mima, with the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), a new Cyber Security Advisory has been released. This guidance addresses the complex challenge of balancing security, safety, and human factors in requirements practices.

The project, led by Dr Duncan Ki-Aries and Prof Huseyin Dogan centred on developing and evaluating a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that demonstrates how these critical domains can be effectively integrated into SbD practices. The goal: to enhance the design of secure, resilient, and user-aware systems for defence applications.

Figure 1. The Secure by Design Process Framework

The advisory outlines key findings from the research, explores the challenges of merging safety and human factors into SbD processes, and offers insights into potential improvements. It also signals directions for future projects aimed at advancing this integration.

Ongoing research at BU will continue to build on this foundation, drawing on the combined expertise of BU and Mima in Human Factors, Security, Systems of Systems Engineering, Safety, and Risk Assessment. This work remains committed to strengthening future defence capabilities through a robust Secure by Design approach.

Figure 2. The project team

Bournemouth University Showcases Defence Innovation at BattleLab’s South West Regional Defence & Security Cluster Event

What a brilliant and absolutely packed South West Regional Defence & Security Cluster showcase event at the BattleLab on July 2nd, 2025! The team, led by Professor Huseyin Dogan, proudly showcased Bournemouth University’s capabilities in the defence sector.

The Bournemouth University team included Finn Morgan, Nigel Davies, Serdar Akar, and Egemen Oner, alongside their client, Dr. Shamal Faily from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl). Among the 180 guests and exhibitors, the BU team presented three Dstl-funded projects covering critical areas such as human factors, risk-informed decision-making, and cyber resilience.

   

Featured Dstl-Funded Projects:

  • Tool-support for embedding safety, security, and human factors analysis into Secure by Design requirements.
  • Risk-Informed Decision-Making (RIDM) in Intentional Electromagnetic Interference (IEMI).
  • Towards Productive Cyber Resilience and Safety Analysis in Model-Based System Engineering (MBSE).

Collaboration for Secure by Design Practices

In addition to the BattleLab showcase, Dr. Duncan Ki-Aries and Prof. Huseyin Dogan also partnered with Mima, a human-centred design consultancy. Their collaboration focused on developing and evaluating a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). This MVP demonstrates how safety, security, and human factors analysis can be seamlessly integrated into Secure by Design requirements practices. The tool was successfully demonstrated at the Dstl Portsdown West site in June 2025, further highlighting Bournemouth University’s expertise in developing secure and effective systems for defence applications.

If you’re interested in learning more about these impactful projects, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Prof. Huseyin Dogan and Dr. Duncan Ki-Aries.