Research student champion shortlisted for national Women in Defence award

Dr Annie Maddison Warren, Senior Lecturer in Information Systems at the Centre for Electronic Warfare, Information and Cyber at Cranfield University, and champion of young academics, has been shortlisted in the Inspirational Award category at the 2019 Women in Defence Awards.

Dr Maddison Warren is shortlisted for her dedication to nurturing the defence and security academics of the future. She is the driving force behind the Doctoral Community at Cranfield Defence and Security (CDS), an approach which has been adopted University-wide, transforming the research student experience across all disciplines. Research student numbers in the Doctoral Community at CDS have increased by a third over three years (up 33% from May 2015 to March 2018).

The only shortlisted nominee from a university, Dr Maddison Warren appears alongside military personnel and staff from civil service, intelligence and industry organisations. Women in Defence is a community of men and women dedicated to improving gender balance across the Defence sector.

Championing early career researchers

Dr Maddison Warren leads the organisation of the Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium, supported by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory,

AWE, GCHQ and the Department for Transport. Now in its fifth year, this is the only UK conference which enables research students and early career researchers to present their work to a defence and security sector audience. In 2018, 21 universities were represented at the conference.

Her encouragement of young academics is also demonstrated by her resolute support for early career researchers. She has helped one to gain funding for a public engagement programme with University Technical Colleges (UTCs), benefiting their pupils and giving research students valuable teaching experience.

Annie has been lecturing for 20 years and was the first person within Cranfield Defence and Security to gain Senior Fellowship of the UK’s Higher Education Academy. She has been nominated for and won a host of Student-Led Teaching Awards and is dedicated to building a community of students at CDS, where high numbers of part-time students have traditionally made it difficult to cultivate a sense of belonging. She is leading a Teaching Fellowship project examining the effectiveness of student feedback and regularly publishes the results of her research work.

Creating an inspiring research environment

Professor Mark Richardson, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Defence and Security says:

“Congratulations to Annie on this richly deserved honour. She has added layers of academic, welfare and development support for our research students, a model now adopted across the university. The stimulating and inspirational research environment at Cranfield is flourishing, and this is in no small part down to Annie’s efforts. With her energy, dedication and leadership, we have seen improved supervision processes, more and better publications and an increase in research income.”

Dr Maddison Warren said:

“A vibrant research community brings with it inspiration, energy and an exciting glimpse into future academic talents. I’ve been privileged to support our students and see their trajectory of success. I’m delighted to be shortlisted for this award and to have my work recognised in this way.”