The Defence Research Network came about out of a conversation back in 2016 between PhD students who felt isolated in their respective South West institutions studying defence. We have formed a supportive community of researchers with diverse interests ranging from the history of airpower, counteirnsurgency, veterans families and cybersecurity. We have build up our presence on social media and held numerous face to face networking events as well as forming friendships and professional collaborations.

We connect our community primarily through Twitter where we encourage researchers to ask questions, comment on defence news and share recommendations about books, conferences and events and job vacancies.

Our Governance

You can see our constitution here.

Anglia Ruskin University
Co-chair

Hannah is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre of Excellence for Equity in Uniformed Public Services and Centre for Military Women’s Research at Anglia Ruskin University and Senior Programme Officer for the Female Veterans Transformation Programme. Her inter-disciplinary research employs creative methods to explore military cultures/ behaviours, women’s military history and counterinsurgency/ human security. She draws on her lived experience as a former Royal Navy Air Engineer. Hannah is Founder/ Co-Chair of the Defence Research Network and, in 2025, is looking forward to new collaborations at the intersection between the Ministry of Defence and academia.

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University of Portsmouth Education Team
Co-chair

Veronika is one of the DRN’s co-chairs, and has been a committee member for over four years. She also serves as the DRN's Events lead and contributes to editing the newsletter. Professionally, Veronika is Deputy Director of the Portsmouth Military Education Team and a Senior Teaching Fellow, working with the Royal Air Force. She completed her PhD in International Relations at the University of Nottingham, focusing on political violence in Israel. Her research and teaching interests include war and politics, NATO, military strategy, Israel and the Middle East, and international relations.

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University of Sheffield
Co-chair and Teaching Lead

Baris works at the Department of Politics and International Relations, at the University of Sheffield. His research focuses on defence policies across Europe, pacifist perspectives in security studies, and the European Union's environmental policies. He also teaches in areas including Middle East politics, theories and politics of the European Union, and international climate politics. As the Teaching Lead in the Defence Research Network, Baris follows the developments on the pedagogy of security and defence, integrate recent techniques, research and practical insights into the network’s knowledge base and contribute to the growth of pedagogical practice and research within the network by using these insights.

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University of Portsmouth
Committee Secretary

Ann is the secretary of the DRN Committee and is responsible for organising  committee meetings and for assisting in the smooth running of the DRN. She is a PhD student at University of Portsmouth and her research project is about separatist movements in Southeast Asia. She is also also a Lecturer/Module Coordinator of Politics and International Relations Module at International College of Portsmouth.

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University of Oxford
Twitter/X & BlueSky manager

Lucy recently completed her ESRC-funded DPhil at the Department of Education, University of Oxford. Her doctoral research involved working creatively with groups of service children to explore how service life shapes their identity and school experiences. Before embarking on her DPhil, she completed her PGCE and MEd in Primary Education at the University of Cambridge. Lucy is also a trustee for the Armed Forces Education Trust, a grant-giving charity for service children.

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Cardiff University
Newsletter Editor

Tegan is a PhD candidate at Cardiff University. Her research covers global space security in the UN. agenda the 'prevention of an arms race in outer space' (PAROS) 1981-2023, specifically focusing on conceptions of space weapons and warfare. She is contributing a chapter on space verification challenges for theforthcoming publication on "Responsible Space Security." Her other research interests include UK space strategy, space as a critical infrastructure and issues of resilience. Tegan tutors on a range of POLIR modules at Cardiff University and has completed an Associate Fellowship.

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University of Portsmouth
LinkedIn manager

Rupak is a masters graduate in international relations from University of Portsmouth. Her research interest mainly lies in security studies and technological threats such as cyber/AI. Apart from being a LinkedIn manager and assisting DRN newsletter and activities she is also working as a Events and Media Coordinator for University of Portsmouth Women in security research and development group. With this she is also part of  National Museum of Royal Navy. She is very much keen in further research in the field of cyber and is looking forward to build her professional and academic identity in cyber research.

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King's Centre for Military Health Research
Website team

Daniel is a Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the King’s Centre for Military Health Research. His research focuses on the interface between machine learning and mobile health technologies, specifically focused on diagnosis, treatment, intervention and management of physical and mental health conditions in the Armed Forces community.

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University of Buckingham
Website team

Robb is a PhD student at the University of Buckingham investigating the  concept of cyber peacekeepers, and specifically the feasibility of  conducting UN-style peace enforcement operations in cyberspace - his previous research looked at contemporary British cyber defence capability.  Robb holds a BSc(Hons) in IT and Computing, and an MA in Modern War Studies and Contemporary Military History.  In his 'spare' time, Robb is a member of the Army Reserve and a retained volunteer with the Army Cadets.

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University of Durham
Website team

Scott is a PhD researcher at the University of Durham, focusing on the Implementation Gap and its impact on UK National and Defence space policies.  Scott’s broader research interests focus on emergent systems and space policy, with a particular focus on military and defence applications, and issues of resilience in the face of space denial.  He also takes a keen interest in matters of global maritime security, especially as they pertain to the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and Indo-Pacific regions.

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University of New Brunswick
Committee member

Marshall is an education PhD student at the University of New Brunswick in Canada. His research explores adult learning in the Canadian military. This includes the formal and informal ways culture is taught and learned alongside the mundane and invisible ways our surroundings influence us. Marshall holds a Master of Education in instructional design and his research explored the relationship between online learning and quality of life within the Canadian army. As an adult educator and sessional instructor, he continues to look for ways to build and sustain community within online learning spaces. Prior to doctoral studies, Marshall spent 20 years in the Canadian military. During this time, he held a variety of leadership positions in both educational and operational organisations.

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University of York
Committee member

Phil’s research background explores the relationship between ethics and strategy, with a specific focus on counterinsurgency campaigns. He is currently writing on the War in Afghanistan. Phil is an associate lecturer at the University of York. He teaches on a range of modules, including International Relations Theory, War and Peace, Terrorism and Counter Terrorism, and the causes and conduct of war. He is currently working on publishing his PhD as a monograph with Routledge.

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University of Nottingham
Committee member

Ollie O’Sullivan is a clinical doctor by background, working as an Army Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Medicine doctor between the NHS in the East Midlands and the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, Stanford Hall, though currently he is undertaking a ‘research holiday’. The topic of his PhD at the University of Nottingham is the use of novel molecular blood biomarkers to predict who will develop osteoarthritis after an injury. This sits within a wider research interest of musculoskeletal injury prediction and prevention, to empower individuals to live well with good joint health and reduce subsequent occupational impact and individual disability. He hopes to join up the work of the Defence Research Network to the Defence Medical Services in order to improve interdisciplinary research.

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University of Northumbria / Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS)
Committee member

Jeff has completed a Doctorate in Business Administration and Master of Science, both focussed on Military Leadership. He is now completing an MSc in Strategic Leadership. For his DBA, Jeff explored the presence of elements of Dark Leadership traits within Officer Cadets at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.