Security Lancaster is one of the largest interdisciplinary security research institutes in the UK with 120 staff from 15 academic departments. It is home to the ESRC UK national hub for social science research on security threats (CREST) and the EPSRC Trustworthy Autonomous Systems Node in Security (TAS-S). ​

The institutes cross-disciplinary socio-technical research is actively complemented by policy engagement and education to deliver innovative solutions to today’s complex security challenges that affect people and societies.​​

Security Lancaster cultivates innovation and entrepreneurship by facilitating the exchange of ideas and information through the sharing of facilities, the creation of networks of like-minded individuals, and through the development of a ‘social infrastructure’. We bring together people from government, business, academia and the protection industries to create new perspectives on security, innovation and responsible entrepreneurship in a rapidly changing world.​

Our Strategy

• Deliver world-leading research in Security Sciences by balancing basic research with use-inspired and applied research to ensure its work remains both theoretically rich and relevant to societal needs and priorities.
• Cultivate Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Security by facilitating the exchange of ideas and information through the sharing of facilities, the creation of networks of like-minded individuals, and through the development of a 'social infrastructure'
• Deliver Excellent Security Education through multi-disciplinary training programmes for future scientists and industry practitioners

The overarching aim of the Institute is to derive additional capability for collaborative, multi-disciplinary research and education. The research in the Institute will be driven by an ethos of undertaking theoretically rich, use-inspired research. The latter will be achieved through close collaboration between the scientists in Security Lancaster and our industry and practice partners, facilitated by a dedicated partnership management team.

National and International Impact

Security Lancaster will prioritise making contributions in two areas: cybersecurity (including assured autonomy, secure AI/ML and secure systems) and security futures (including defence and citizen protection). Among our key priorities will be to:

• develop new mechanisms to increase the resilience of the Future Internet and security of communications therein
• address cybersecurity challenges posed by embedded devices and mobile/wireless network infrastructures
• develop methods for sense-making of large, heterogeneous information sources such as online social networks and similar communication forums
• develop methods for influencing and gleaning intelligence from cybersecurity behaviours and studying the use of identity in cybercrime
• contribute to making AI/ML secure and trustworthy
• provide advice on how to respond to risks posed by unanticipated threats
• deliver specialised training to law enforcement and other security-related organizations
• develop new methods of interacting with the public that is culturally-sensitive and effective at resolving suspicions
• develop technologies that aid investigative decision making and analysis
• develop a fundamental understanding of the motivations behind criminal activities to support prevention initiatives
• create dialogue and collaboration on the future of security in an age of digital geopolitics
• engage with policy makers to co-construct solutions to address current defence and security challenges
• bring together people from business, academia and the protection industries to create new perspectives on security, defence and global politics.
• develop inter-disciplinary techniques to generate new thinking about future scenarios that will be of use to a range of organizations confronted with a rapidly changing world.

The above list is not exhaustive and the institute will be inclusive of all Security research at Lancaster. Hence, new areas of focus will be added to the institute as they gather momentum and critical mass.

Security Lancaster will deliver innovative outcomes to the above questions through its multi-disciplinary approach. It will do so in partnership with government, industry and other organisations, in order to further current thinking in, and the economic prosperity of, the security sector.