Within our department, we conduct research across a variety of fields and have identified five main areas of focus: Cyber Security, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Future and Complex Networks, Human-Computer Interaction, and Processes and Behaviour Understanding. Each of these fields involves collaboration between academic members of our team and our postgraduate researchers.
Cyber Security
Our research helps people design, manage, and use technology in such a way that security helps rather than hinders people’s everyday lives. Our research is centred around Cyber Physical System Security, Cyber Security Education, Digital Forensics & Incident Response, Intelligence & Security Informatics, Security & Privacy by Design and Social Cybersecurity. Find out more.
Data Science and Artificial Intelligence
We aim to understand and develop theoretical foundations of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DS&AI) and the bridging between them with major focus on scalable and continual machine learning, computational intelligence, statistical modelling, computer vision, and knowledge engineering. Our interest covers also applied DS&AI to develop (collaborative) decision support systems in a number of areas such as process industry, smart environments, smart energy, remote sensing, assistive technologies, and healthcare.
Future and Complex Networks
We conduct fundamental and applied research in the broad area of networks – from natural and physical networks (e.g. social networks, transportation systems, utility grids, brain structure) to digital infrastructures (e.g. the internet, computer networks, etc). The research focus areas of FlexNet include network science, information-centric networking (ICN), the Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, crowdsourced systems and other emerging network paradigms.
Human Computer Interaction
We collaborate with researchers and professionals from multiple disciplines including Health, Psychology, Design and Marketing to evolve this focus area. We have expertise in applying user experience techniques and HCI design processes to interactive systems and its demonstration through experimentations. We have active research interests in Interaction Design, Assistive Technologies, Human Factors, Social Informatics, Data Visualisation, and Digital Health. To maximise impact and the practical nature of our research, we also collaborate with industry nationally and internationally. Find out more.
Processes and Behaviour Understanding (PRO_BU)
Our research primarily focuses on “Behaviour and Processes Understanding for new Knowledge Discovery”. Specifically, we investigate on fundamentals for understanding natural, or anthropogenic, phenomena and processes with their underlying embedded behaviour(s). We work on sensor data fusion, big data and intelligent agents which are supported by first-principles based fundamental theories for high level reasoning, advanced situational awareness and knowledge discovery. Concepts of Digital Twins using multi-modal observation platforms are deployed for testing our new processes and behaviour theories in laboratory and field experiments. We also validate our theories under a wealth of domain application sectors in high profile research programmes, including those concerning: “Disease diagnosis and understanding for patients’ healthcare of the future”; “Environmental species and ecosystems emerging behaviour under climate change”; “Predictive human behaviour and processes in context of cyber-physical security in urban spaces”; and “Automated detection of industrial processes for critical operations”.