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Anitha Chinnaswamy

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Dr Anitha Chinnaswamy

 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3817-4239

    • United Kingdom

    Accepting PhD Students

    PhD projects

    Cyber Security Risk Management;Cryptocurrency and Illicit Money Flows;Cloud-based Artificial Intelligence;Women in Cyber: Addressing the Gender Gap Challenge; Online Harms; Cyber Violence Against Women and Girls

    Personal profile

    Biography

    I am a Cyber Security Research Leader shaping national and European agendas in cyber governance, organisational resilience and technology-facilitated harms.

    As Director of the GRIIT (Gender Equity Research & Inclusive Innovation in Technology) Network, I lead a multi-million-pound UK and EU research and innovation portfolio that integrates evidence, policy and practice.

    I serve as Principal Investigator on major funded programmes, including the €1.34M InnovaCyBridge consortium, and Innovate UK–supported initiatives addressing cyber violence against women and girls (CyVAWG) and CyberDIVA project for digital abuse prevention. My work is delivered in strategic partnership with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, regional cybercrime policing units, and industry leaders. I have established and led cross-sector collaborations that translate research into policy frameworks, safeguarding models, practitioner toolkits and scalable workforce interventions, including an Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership embedding an R&D capability within BlueScreen IT Limited and regional cyber skills transformation programmes funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority.

    My portfolio demonstrates sustained external income generation, consortium leadership, and measurable impact across regulation, reporting mechanisms and inclusive cyber capability development. Alongside research leadership, I am Program Director of the MSc Cyber Security Management programme and serve as Chapter Leader for ISACA Central UK, advancing professional standards and shaping the next generation of cyber leaders.

    My work is focused on strengthening secure, resilient and inclusive digital ecosystems through interdisciplinary research, strategic partnerships and system-level change. My contributions to cyber innovation and inclusive capability development have been recognised through sector awards, including the Midlands Women in Tech Award (2023), the Academic Award (2024), and recognition for Cyber University of the Year at the National Cyber Awards (2025), reflecting sustained leadership and impact across research, education and industry engagement.

    Key research projects

     
    Project: Horizon Europe EIT-HEI Initiative InnovaCyBridge 
    Empowering Cyber Resilience and Management Through Entrepreneurship - €1.35M
    Lead for InnovaCyBridge, a multidisciplinary European project that aims to transform how cybersecurity education, innovation, and entrepreneurship are delivered within higher education institutions. The project responds to the growing complexity of cyber threats, the rapid adoption of AI-enabled technologies, and the urgent need for talent that can operate across technical, organisational, and business contexts.

    By combining structured cybersecurity education with challenge-based innovation, venture readiness support, and cross-sector collaboration, InnovaCyBridge enables universities to move beyond traditional classroom-based teaching and embed cybersecurity capability within real-world innovation and business environments.

    InnovaCyBridge places strong emphasis on institutional capacity building, ensuring that participating HEIs develop sustainable structures, transferable practices, and long-term partnerships that extend beyond the lifetime of the project. The initiative supports students, Early Career Researchers (ECRs), startups, and innovators, while also strengthening the ability of academic and non-academic staff to deliver high-quality, industry-relevant cybersecurity programmes.

    (Role: Principal Investigator 2025)

    Project:  CyberDIVA - A Forensic-Led Investigation of Cyber Violence Against Women and Girls (£112,000) Funder: Innovate UK

    Forensic-led investigation of cyber violence within hidden online environments. Integrates digital forensics, responsible AI, and co-creation methodologies. Developing tools, evidence, and policy insights through workshops with law enforcement, NGOs, and schools.

    Project: CyVAWG: Cyber Violence Against Women and Girls     (£75,000) Funder: Innovate UK

    Collaborating with key stakeholders, including the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), and the West Midlands Police Regional Cyber Crime Unit, to understand the breadth and depth of cyber violence against women and girls, raise awareness, improve reporting mechanisms to create safer digital spaces.

    (Role: Principal Investigator 2025)

    Project: CyberKali 2024 ( ~ £42,000) Funder: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)

    Following the success of CyberKali in 2023, HMG Department for Science, Innovation and Technology awarded to attract diverse learner cohorts; provide them with unique in-class cyber skills experiences; and provide exposure to resilient pathways to education and work particularly from the ethnic minorities background, into the cyber security careers.

    Role: PI (2023 - 2024)

    Project: KTP with BlueScreen IT (£202,024) Funder: Innovate UK

    Working with BlueScreen IT Limited to establish, develop and manage a new R&D business unit to deliver next-generation technology for the cyber security industry.

     (Role: PI; Dates: Aug2022- Mar2025)

    Project: Digital Education for Developing Cybersecurity Skills (£400,000) Funder: West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA)

    This funding from the WMCA is for an upskilling programme in cybersecurity.  The Digital education project will be delivered  in close collaboration with employers, recruiters, UK Cyber Security Council and the Ethnic Minority in Cyber (EMiC) network. The eight-month programme of bootcamps will help close the skills gap in cyber security in the West Midlands.

    (Role: Co-I; Dates: Jul2023- Mar2025)

    Project:  CyberKali - Attracting Young Midlands Based Female Decision Makers into Cyber Security (£90,757) Funder: National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)

    CyberKali is delivered by a nationally leading consortium of the University of Warwick ACE-CSE and Aston Cyber Security Innovation Centre (CSI) in close collaboration with employers, recruiters, UK Cyber Security Council, the Ethnic Minorities in Cyber (EMiC) network, and several Birmingham based schools. The programme of activities is designed to: attract diverse learner cohorts; provide them with unique in-class cyber skills experiences; and provide exposure to resilient pathways to education and work particularly from the ethnic minorities background, into the cyber security careers.

    (Role: Co-I, Project Ongoing; Dates: Jul2022- Mar2023)

    Project:  Privacy Enhancing Mechanism for Cyber Threat Intelligence (£7,500)

    This project uses advance privacy protection technologies and adapt Differential Privacy methods to support development of privacy-enhancing mechanisms for public sharing of cyber threat intelligence (CTI).

    (Role: Co-I, Project Ongoing; Dates: Jan2022 – Jul2022)

    Project:  Cyber Ecosystem Mapping (£180,000) Funder: DCMS

    Project for Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), led by EY Government and Public Sector Cyber Security and Aston University.

    This project provides DCMS with research and mapping of the UK’s cybersecurity ecosystem across all regions, to inform future investment and decision-making that will support sector-wide growth and integration.

    (Role: Co-I; Dates: Feb2022 – Apr2022)

    Project:  Cyber Explorer (£53,960) Funder: DCMS

    Project evaluating the gamification strategy in cyber skills acquisition. Cyber Explorers, an initiative led by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), showcases how the skills being taught in class are linked to real world situations, through an immersive, gamified learning experience. Aston is delivering this learning platform to teach cyber skills to school pupils in the WM region.

    (Role: Co-I; Dates: Feb2022 – Sep2022)

    Project:  Cyber ASAP - Consent Management by Receipts (£31,942) Funder: Innovate UK

    CyberASAP is a joint initiative of UK DCMS, KTN, and Innovate UK.  Our project Consent Management by Receipts (CMbyReceipts) will look into novel approaches to operationalise Consent Management on the Internet, a key component of Data Protection, with Consent Receipts.

    (Role: PI; Dates: Apr2022 – Jul2022)

    Project:  FinTech Cybersecurity Ecosystem - RKE Pump Priming Fund (£20,000)

    This project enables knowledge exchange and policy support in the WM for research and mapping of the FinTech cybersecurity ecosystem; considered in this context to be the current environment, conditions and interventions that exist to influence or affect Fintech-focused cybersecurity companies.

     (Role: Co-I; Dates: Jan2022 – Jul2022)

    Project: Emerging Sensor Technologies and Data Analytics for Air Quality Monitoring and Impact on Health (£26,000)

    (Role: Principal Investigator, Project successfully completed. This was aired at on BBC 1 Inside Out (in 9 regions across the UK) in February 2020 and received a lot of media attention).

     Project: Cyber Security Readiness and Management Strategy at City Metropolitan District Council (£10,000)

    (Role: Principal Investigator, Project successfully completed, this project has contributed to an impact case study submitted to REF2021)

     Project: European Commission Programme Horizon 2020 – New Business Models for Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (NEWBITS) (£5.5M)

    (Role: WP Co-Lead; Successfully completed and presented; Project Dates 2016 - 2019)

    http://newbits-project.eu/

    Membership of Professional Bodies

    • UK Higher Education Academy, Senior Fellow
    • Founding Member, Ethnic Minorities in Cyber Network Ethnic Minorities in Cyber (EMiC) supported by DSIT
    • ISACA Central UK Chapter, Board Member
    • APMG Certified Cyber Security Fundamentals University Instructor
    • CRISC, Certified in Information Systems and Control
    • Member, Academic Council, INSS Press

    Media Contributions

    Recent Press Releases

    Aston University expert to talk on gender diversity and inclusion at major cyber security event
    https://www.aston.ac.uk/latest-news/aston-university-expert-talk-gender-diversity-and-inclusion-major-cyber-security-event

    https://www.greaterbirminghamchambers.com/latest-news/news/2022/4/27/cyber-security-event-to-talk-on-gender-diversity-and-inclusion/

     

    Aston University’s Cyber Security Innovation Centre celebrates International Women's Day with special event for local schools
    https://www.aston.ac.uk/latest-news/aston-universitys-cyber-security-innovation-centre-celebrates-international-womens-day

    Aston University cyber security experts to work with EY on cyber security ecosystem research to support UK Government strategy
    https://www.aston.ac.uk/latest-news/aston-university-cyber-security-experts-work-ey-cyber-security-ecosystem-research

     

    Awards

    • Winner, Academic Award, Midlands Women in Tech Awards, 2024
    • Winner, Tech for Good Award, Midlands Women in Tech Awards, 2023
    • Cyber University of the Year 2025, The National Cyber Awards

    Education/Academic qualification

    PhD, Computing, Coventry University

    MSc, Informatics, Coventry University

    PG Cert, Higher Education, Coventry University

    SFHEA, Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy

    External positions

    External Examiner, Computing Programme, INTO City, University of London

    Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

    In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

    1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
      SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
    2. SDG 5 - Gender Equality
      SDG 5 Gender Equality
    3. SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
      SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
    4. SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
      SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
    5. SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities
      SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
    6. SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production
      SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
    7. SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
      SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

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