Chris Hankin

Chris Hankin is a British computer scientist and academic noted for research on systems engineering, critical infrastructure resilience, and cyber security. He has held senior academic posts at institutions including Imperial College London and contributed to policy advising for bodies such as the UK Government and the European Commission. His work spans computational modelling, risk analysis, and the intersection of privacy and security in national and international settings.

Early life and education

Hankin studied in the United Kingdom, completing degrees that combined interests in computer science and mathematics at universities including University of Cambridge and Imperial College London. During his formative training he engaged with research communities associated with Oxford University and collaborated with scholars from institutions such as University of Edinburgh, University of Manchester, and University College London. His early mentors and peers included academics linked to projects funded by organizations like the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the European Research Council.

Academic and research career

Hankin served in senior roles at Imperial College London, where he led groups focused on software engineering, formal methods, and security research. He contributed to interdisciplinary programmes involving collaborators from King's College London, Queen Mary University of London, and the Alan Turing Institute. His publications and projects intersected with initiatives by NATO, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the National Cyber Security Centre (United Kingdom), addressing threats to transportation infrastructure, energy sector systems, and telecommunications networks. He supervised doctoral students who later joined institutions such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and ETH Zurich.

Industry and advisory roles

Beyond academia, Hankin advised governments and industry, engaging with stakeholders including the UK Cabinet Office, the European Commission Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology, and multinational firms in the information technology and telecommunications sectors such as BT Group and IBM. He acted as an advisor to initiatives run by GCHQ and worked with consortia involving Siemens, Schneider Electric, and Arup on resilience and risk management. He participated in advisory boards and review panels for bodies like the Royal Society, the Institution of Engineering and Technology, and the National Physical Laboratory.

Awards and honours

Hankin's contributions have been recognised by fellowships and awards from organisations including the Royal Academy of Engineering, the British Computer Society, and research councils such as the EPSRC. He has been invited to deliver keynote lectures at conferences organized by ACM, IEEE, and the IFIP community, and has received honours from professional societies including the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Royal Society of Arts for interdisciplinary work bridging policy and technology.

Selected publications and contributions

Hankin authored and co-authored numerous papers and reports on topics including cyber security, critical infrastructure modelling, and privacy-preserving technologies. His work has appeared in venues associated with ACM SIGCOMM, IEEE Security & Privacy, and journals linked to Elsevier and Springer Nature. He contributed policy reports commissioned by the UK Parliament select committees, the European Commission consultations, and the World Economic Forum initiatives on systemic risk. Notable collaborative projects involved partners such as RAND Corporation, Chatham House, and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Category:British computer scientists Category:Cybersecurity researchers Category:Academics of Imperial College London