Dr Richard J. Thomas, BSc. (Hons.), MSc., Ph.D., MBCS
I am a UKRRIN Industrial Fellow in Data Integration and Cyber Security, co-located between the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education and the Birmingham Centre for Cyber Security and Privacy. I work with our leading industrial partners to tackle data and cyber security challenges in the UK and international rail sectors.
My Ph.D. Thesis reviewed the cybersecurity for some of the UK and European railway standards, identifying the challenges and proposing solutions to ensure future security. My research interests include the security of the ‘industrial internet-of-things’ and how we can leverage the wealth of data available from the rail sector. I also take an interest in general cybersecurity topics including cybersecurity education and consumer issues, featuring on the BBC’s Rip Off Britain programme in mid-2018.
I was part of the Research Institute in Threats to Industrial Control Systems and is now a member of the Research Institute in Trustworthy Interconnected Cyber-Physical Systems, receiving a grant to address the challenges the rail sector faces when moving towards compliance with the EU Network and Information Systems Directive.