Cybersecurity & Criminology Centre

Title: A sociological exploration of Orthodox Jewish experiences and perceptions of anti-semitism in 21st century London

Name: Maya Flax

Summary: Hate crime is a national problem that affects many different groups based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender and sexual orientation. Anti-semitism is one such manifestation of hate crime, defined as hostility to or prejudice against Jews. The main objective of the study is to explore the recent resurgence of anti-semitism in UK through the experiences and perceptions of the London Orthodox Jewish community. It will explore the coping mechanisms adopted by the Orthodox Jewish community to mitigate the hurt and make policy recommendations.

Biography: Maya has a legal background, having worked as a criminal barrister in a leading set of criminal chambers. She completed her LLB at  University College London, her MA in Criminology at Middlesex University and is nearing completion of the PhD at the University of West London.

Supervisors: Professor Joelle Fanghanel and Professor Karim Murji

Name: Soheil Emadiazar

Summary: This research aims to investigate the existing blockchain technology and derive viable security solutions that fulfil the requirements of cyber-physical systems for enabling smart critical infrastructure.​ ​This project focuses on the Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain, intrusion detection/prevention and cyber-physical systems (CPS). This project has the potential to provide a breakthrough in the cybersecurity industry by utilising the key elements of Blockchain technology (Consensus Algorithms, etc.) in areas such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and cyber-physical systems (CPS) in order to provide possible unbreakable and solid security by revolutionising the method of data transmission and Machine to Machine communication methods. Blockchain technology has proven that the method of data transmission and verification via consensus algorithm can be trustworthy and practical in other case scenarios as well.

Biography: Soheil aspires for his research to find a solution for challenges within the industry in regards to cybersecurity and vulnerabilities. He wants to push for further breakthroughs in technology such as Blockchain and its implementation in emerging fields such as cyber-physical systems while completing his PhD at the University of West London.

Supervisors: Dr Junaid Ashlan, Professor Jonathon Loo

Name: Konstantinos Kosmidis

Summary: Android is by far the most popular smartphone platform with more than 1.6 billion devices and over 87% share of the global mobile OS system market. Based on open-source software, Androids not only attract the developers for producing legitimate apps but also attackers producing malware that seriously threatens users’ security and privacy.​ ​This research aims to investigate existing machine-learning approaches. It will focus upon a “deep learning” model for automatic analysis and detection of diverse Android malware.​ ​This new and exciting project is looking to explore a deep learning model, leveraging its deep architecture to evolve high-level representations by associating features from static and dynamic analyses with the aim to overcome stealth attacks​.

Biography: Konstantinos started his career in cybersecurity by working at the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) where he has been involved in the Cyber Security Exercise of the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA), performing vulnerability assessment and drafted information security and business continuity documents​. His ​PhD research at Cybersecurity and Criminology Centre is aimed at developing a deep learning framework for intelligent android malware detection against stealth attacks.​

Supervisors: Professor Jonathon Loo

Name: Herval Almenoar-Webster

Summary: Procedural justice theory (PJT) is now considered to be a key part of Metropolitan Police Service practice, which is reflected in PJT being an integral part of the police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy assessment and the new police degree entry holder programme. Many studies have concluded PJT can lead to positive perceptions of police legitimacy, however research is scant and inconclusive when applied to ethnic minority groups. Moreover, PJT research is heavily reliant on quantitative cross-sectional survey data which divorces PJT from its true roots and has participants who are from compliant members of the general population (Hough 2012; Harkin 2015; Radburn and Scott 2018). This project will carry out an ethnographic study that will re-connect PJT to its true contextual roots and will test the effectiveness of PJT when applied to ethnic minority groups in London and their interactions with police. Ethnographic interviews will be conducted in the London Boroughs of Haringey and Hackney. 

Biography: Herval’s main research interests lie in policing, procedural justice theory and ethnicity. He completed his BSc at the University of Worcester, his MA in Criminology & Criminal Justice at University of West London and is in the early stages of his doctoral research.

Supervisors: Professor Karim Murji, Professor William 'Lez' Henry.

Name: Rhian Kinsella

Summary: Forensic science and criminal investigation have endured a dramatic relationship in the last century. The Forensic Science Service was established in the mid-1930s and regulated by the Home Office. This service inaugurated itself as a spearhead in international scientific research and investigative practice. Following on from significant success in high profile and investigations and despite vehement opposition from forensic experts and practitioners, March 2012 saw its closure.  This closure paved the way for an expansion of the market for privatised forensic science providers. The main objective of this study is to explore how the closure of the government-owned Forensic Science Service and the introduction of privatisation into the world of forensic science provision has impacted criminal justice. The current climate of forensic science in the UK is also currently under review by Parliament.

Biography: Rhian worked as a Crime Scene Investigator for 11 years with South Wales Police. Rhian is currently a lecturer in Criminology, Policing and Forensics at the University of West London. She completed her BA (Hons) in Law and English Literature at the University of West of England, Bristol and her MA in Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Wales, Swansea. Rhian is currently studying for her PhD in Criminal Justice at the University of West London.

Supervisors: Professor Karim Murji, Dr Cheryl Allsop (University of South Wales)

Name: Kennath Widanaralalage

Summary: The aim of this research is to investigate the impact of police officers' attitude towards male victims of sexual assault and rape. It is proposed that rape myths, adherence to traditional gender roles, sex role expectations and police subculture (e.g. machismo, solidarity, suspicion etc.) have an impact on the investigation of male-on-male rape cases. The researcher will analyse real case files in order to assess how characteristics of victims, perpetrators and procedural factors predict higher (or lower) chances of certain investigation outcomes. The current research project will focus on analysing cases brought to the London Metropolitan Police from 2012. This project is aimed to increase awareness, dispel many of the myths surrounding male sexual victimisation and improve policing.

Biography: Kennath completed his Bsc in Psychology with Criminology at University of West London. He also completed an MSc in Forensic Psychology at University of Kent. Before starting his PhD, Kennath has conducted research on rape myth acceptance in university students and has also investigated the impact of moral disengagement and social dominance orientation on attitudes towards vigilantism.

Supervisors: Professor Karim Murji, Dr Ben Hine, Dr Anthony Murphy.