I [am] fascinated by how technology develops and shapes society

Short Bio: Jennifer in her own words My name is Jennifer Williams. I completed a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) and Bachelor of Psychological Studies (Honors) before pursuing a PhD specialising in Behavioural Cybersecurity in the Department of Security Studies and Criminology. I have been teaching and lecturing in the fields of cognitive science and both behavioural and technical cybersecurity since 2020 and recently completed an internship with New South Wales Police Force State Intelligence, where I further developed my data science skills.

Quick Pitch: Tell us about your research topic in 100 words or less.

My PhD research follows an experimental quantitative approach to examine how methods of cognitive science, such as mental simulations, can be used to empower people and motivate better cybersecurity practices. Empowering people involves making them believe they are capable of carrying out good cybersecurity behaviours, and that those actions are effective at protecting them from cyber-based threats.

What led you to do a PhD in this area, and what keeps you motivated?

I have always loved technology. I have been fascinated by how technology develops and shapes society as well as how people interact with and perceive technology. However, despite this passion, it was not always the direction I planned on going. Early on in my undergraduate degree, I was set on becoming a clinical psychologist. In my final year I decided to take an entirely different route for my Honours research project by combining my interests in technology and my background in behavioural science to examine how people support extreme government responses to acts of cyber-warfare. I enjoyed research so much more than I could have imagined. By the end of this project, I had abandoned the idea of clinical psychology in favour of a research career in the field of behavioural cybersecurity.

The dynamic, fast-paced nature of cybersecurity and technology keeps me motivated. Technology is continuously developing and changing and, every time it does, someone is there to find its loopholes and unintended uses. Governments, organisations, and people need to adapt to combat new threats and criminal strategies as they emerge. I want to be part of that front line of adaptation and defence with my research.

How have your experiences outside of academia informed your research?

The highlight of my graduate research career so far is writing for The Conversation in the wake of the Optus and Medibank breaches in 2022. Writing these articles with my colleagues allowed me to share my knowledge with the public in an accessible and relevant way. We received a lot of feedback about how much the articles helped people understand what happened, how they are at risk, and how to protect themselves in the aftermath. One of our later articles contributed to debates around banning ransomware payments, which gained a lot of professional attention. It was extremely fulfilling to see my knowledge in the public sphere making a difference and contributing to current debates.

What do you think that every grad researcher should know?

Scientific research is not easy and it is not linear. Some days are long and frustrating and things don’t always work the way you want them to. However, just because you didn’t find the answer you were looking for doesn’t mean you didn’t find any answers at all. Be prepared to throw plans out the window and take a new direction with what you learn at each stage of research. The hard part of a PhD is being resilient, tenacious, adaptable, and dealing with the unexpected.

Jennifer's research achievements

Industry Internship: NSW Police Force, via the Defence Innovation Network. November 2022 - February 2023. Project: Improving Crime Prediction using Artificial Intelligence

The Conversation:

• Foster, J. L., & Williams, J. J. (2022a, November 10). Medibank hackers are now releasing stolen data on the dark web. If you’re affected, here’s what you need to know. The Conversation.
• Foster, J. L., & Williams, J. J. (2022b, November 14). Australia is considering a ban on cyber ransom payments, but it could backfire. Here’s another idea. The Conversation.
• Williams, J. J., Foster, J. L., & Watson, T. (2022a, September 26). What does the Optus data breach mean for you and how can you protect yourself? A step-by-step guide. The Conversation.
• Williams, J. J., Foster, J. L., & Watson, T. (2022b, September 28). The ‘Optus hacker’ claims they’ve deleted the data. Here’s what experts want you to know. The Conversation.

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