Cyber Horizons: Opportunities for tomorrow’s cybersecurity leaders - CDT Summer School 2026
SPRITE+ provided grants for 4 PhD students based at UK universities, covering registration, travel and accommodation to attend the CDT Summer School 2026.
Taking place from 4th – 6th August 2026 at the University of Bath’s EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Cyber Security, the Summer School provided insights from leading experts and the opportunity for attendees to network with peers and chart their path toward a thriving career in cybersecurity.
Read on to hear from PhD students Wenbo Feng, Lawrence Piao, Anete Poriete and Lisa Mekioussa Malki about their experiences of attending.
Wenbo Feng
I am grateful to SPRITE+ for supporting my attendance at the Cyber Secure Everywhere Summer School 2026, held at the University of Bath from 4–6 August. The theme, “Cyber Horizons: Opportunities for Tomorrow’s Cybersecurity”, brought together perspectives from academic research, industry, policy and entrepreneurship.
One of the most valuable aspects of the Summer School was the breadth of the discussions. The sessions helped me think more clearly about how cybersecurity research connects with real-world practice and about the different ways in which PhD graduates can contribute to the field. I also appreciated the opportunity to meet other cybersecurity researchers, exchange ideas and build new professional connections.
The Summer School broadened my view of possible career pathways and reinforced the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing cybersecurity challenges. I will carry these perspectives into my doctoral research and future career. I am very grateful to SPRITE+ and the organisers for making this valuable experience possible.
Lawrence Piao
I really enjoyed attending the Cyber Secure Everywhere CDT Summer School at the University of Bath. The programme covered a wide range of topics, from human-centred security and security entrepreneurship to cyber innovation and AI security. It was also a great opportunity to explore Bath. We were very lucky with the weather, and I enjoyed seeing the city from Alexandra Park, visiting the Roman Baths, and spending time around the lake on campus. I am grateful to SPRITE+ for the funding and to the Cybersecurity CDT team for organising the event.
My favourite talk was Prof. Awais Rashid's talk on startups. I found it particularly interesting to learn about the real-world challenges that cybersecurity startups face. Rather than simply presenting the outcomes, the talk went into more detail about the process of turning security research into real products and companies, including securing R&D funding, building a team, finding customers, and taking on multiple roles in development, sales, and operations during the early stage. Hearing about these experiences gave me a much clearer understanding of how research can be translated into practical applications. The lightning talks and student presentations were also a highlight, showcasing research including multi-agent AI, cybercrime, and hacker culture.
The summer school also gave me the chance to meet many other cybersecurity PhD students. I made new friends not only from the CDT but also from a range of universities, including Abertay, Cardiff and Eindhoven. None of this would have been possible without the support of SPRITE+, thanks again for making this experience possible!
Anete Poriete
I was honoured to attend the CDT Summer School in Bath, Cyber Horizons: Opportunities for Tomorrow’s Cybersecurity Leaders, funded by SPRITE+. The event offered a great opportunity to learn from leading researchers while connecting with other PhD students.
My personal highlight was the keynote by Angela Sasse, whose insights into usable security were both inspiring and thought-provoking. I also enjoyed sessions by Pete Burnap and Awais Rashid on translating academic research into industry-focused startups, which provided valuable perspectives on research impact.
The summer school was also a fantastic opportunity to exchange experiences with fellow PhD researchers from UCL, Bath and Bristol. Discussing our PhD journeys, sharing challenges, and offering feedback to one another created a highly supportive and collaborative environment. I was honoured to present my own research on cognitive biases and heuristics in cybersecurity perceptions and receive valuable feedback from peers and academics.
Overall, the summer school was an enriching experience that broadened my perspective on cybersecurity research, strengthened my academic and professional network, and provided inspiration for the next stages of my research career. The beautiful city of Bath and welcoming atmosphere made the experience even more memorable.
Lisa Mekioussa Malki
The 2026 CDT Summer School hosted in the University of Bath was an enjoyable and enriching experience. The event was well-organised, with a blend of student research presentations and talks. The talks were delivered by leading experts in security and offered fascinating perspectives which were highly relevant to my research, covering issues such as usability in security systems, and the novel threats faced by AI.
The student lightning talks were all very engaging and covered a range of technical and socio-technical research projects. It was interesting to see how research topics fit together, and to link other student's work with my own. I also gave a talk; I found the audience to be respectful, and they posed some interesting questions about my research methods and potential avenues for future research.
Beyond the academic content, the socials were a great opportunity to chat with other students and exchange contact details. I had some great conversations and made several contacts which I hope to develop into collaborations later down the line.
