Rate My Professor Fiona Strens

Professor Fiona Strens is the Professor and Director of the Centre for Defence and Security Artificial Intelligence (CDSAI) at the University of Lincoln, a role she took up in May 2024 as the founding director. The CDSAI focuses on advancing artificial intelligence applications in defence and security, fostering collaborations between academia, industry, and government to address national security challenges. Located within the Vice Chancellor's Office, Strens leads initiatives that include AI for human-machine teaming, wargaming simulations, and resilience technologies. She holds a Master's degree in Computer Science from the University of Cambridge and commenced her career in the Ministry of Defence, accumulating over 30 years of experience in defence, security, and AI technologies.

Prior to joining the University of Lincoln, Professor Strens served as Professor of Practice in Security and Resilience at the University of Strathclyde, where she was also Director of the Strathclyde Security and Resilience Research Centre. In this capacity, she oversaw cybersecurity and resilience research, contributing to the centre receiving Academic Centre of Excellence status. Additionally, she has been a Non-Executive Director at Corps Security since 2021 and was appointed Chair of its Board in March 2026. Strens co-chairs the National Security Executive Committee (NSEC) with Professor Tim Watson and has been involved in major projects such as AI contracts to strengthen national security and contributions to Greater Lincolnshire's innovation funding. Her influence extends to speaking engagements at events including the Royal Aeronautical Society Weapons Conference 2026 and CDAO Defence UK 2026, highlighting her expertise in defence AI innovation and policy.