Dr. Mary Aiken

Dr. Mary Aiken

Chair

Cyberpsychology

Dr. Mary Aiken serves as Chair and Professor of the  Cyberpsychology Department. She holds a Ph.D. in Forensic Cyberpsychology. Professor Mary Aiken is a world leading expert in Cyberpsychology – the study of the impact of technology on human behaviour and is a Professor of Forensic Cyberpsychology in the Department of Law and Criminology at the University of East London. Dr. Aiken is a member of INTERPOL's Global Cybercrime Expert Group and an Academic Advisor to Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3). She is a Fellow of The Royal Society of Medicine, Global Fellow at the Washington DC Wilson Center, a member of the Medico-Legal Society, an International Affiliate Member of the American Psychological Association (APA) and a Fellow of the Society for Chartered IT Professionals.

Dr. Aiken is recognised as an international expert in policy debates at the intersection of technology and human behaviour. In 2013 she co-led a White House research team focused on tackling 'Technology Facilitated Human Trafficking'. In 2016 she was named as one of the top 50 most inspiring women in technology in Europe. In 2017 she was inducted into the Infosecurity Europe Hall of Fame, in recognition of her contribution to the information and cybersecurity sector. In 2019 she was named in the top 50 women in GovTech in the Asia Pacific region and acts as an Advisor on online safety technologies  ("Safety Tech') to the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS). Professor Aiken is currently UEL co-lead on a five million euro EU Horizon 2020 research project investigating human and technical drivers of cybercrime, supported by INTERPOL, Europol and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Dr. Aikens work as a Cyberpsychologist inspired the CBS primetime television series CSI:Cyber, she was a producer on the show. Her  best-selling book ‘The Cyber Effect’ was selected by the Times as a 2016 ‘book of the year’ in the Thought category, and was listed in the top twenty science books by Nature the International Journal of Science. A published, peer-reviewed author, Dr. Mary Aikens work has been featured by Time Magazine, Scientific American, the Atlantic,  the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, NPR, Inside Edition, Scientific American, the Atlantic,  Washington Post, New York Times,  Sunday Times,  the Guardian,  Hollywood Reporter, CBS and the BBC.           

Areas of Expertise

  • Cyberpsychology
  • Forensic Cyberpsychology
  • Human Factors in Cybersecurity
  • Cybercriminology
  • Cyber Behavioral Profiling
  • Online Safety Technologies 'Safety Tech'
  • Cyberchondria

Biography

Education

  • Ph.D. in Forensic Cyberpsychology
  • M.Sc. (Honors) in Cyberpsychology
  • B. A. in Psychology & Classics
  • Diploma Forensic Psychology

Professional Achievements

  • Professor of Forensic Cyberpsychology in the Department of Law and Criminology at the University of East London
  • Associate Professor Geary Institute for Public Policy University College Dublin
  • Director of the Cyberpsychology Research Center, Institute of Leadership, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

Professional Honors and Awards

  • 2020: Awarded 'Doctor Honoris Causa' by University Politehnica of Bucharest for contribution to science, technology and cyberpsychology.
  • 2019: Top 50 women in GovTech in the Asia Pacific region
  • 2017: Inducted into the Infosecurity Europe Hall of Fame
  • 2016: "Inspiringfifty" Top 50 most inspiring women in technology in Europe
  • 2013: Inaugurated into SameShield an organisation that honours women’s leadership in traditionally closed professions
  • 2012: Member of the INTERPOL Specialists Group for Crimes against Children.

Organizations & Affiliations

  • International Affiliate Member of the American Psychological Association (APA)
  • Strategic Advisory Group Member - Paladin Capital Group (VC) Global Cyber Fund
  • Global Fellow Washington DC Wilson Center
  • Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine
  • Fellow of the Irish Computer Society (FICS)
  • Research Fellowship Criminology Middlesex University UK
  • Network Science Sensemaking Fellowship - IBM Network Science Research Center
  • Former Scientific Advisor to Arm holdings semiconductor and software design company GenArm 2 Z project.

Volunteer/Service Experience

  • Member of the Advisory Board of The Hague Justice Portal and the Peace, Justice and Security Foundation - The Hague.

Research & Publications (Selective)

  • Aiken et al., (2021, in press)  "Safety Tech: Towards a Safer Nation" Paladin Capital Group. Washington DC.
  • Aiken, M. P. & Gawande, S. (2021). Nature, Structure and Science of Cyberspace: In S. Bhave (Ed.), Cyberpsychiatry Nagpur, India.
  • Donaldson, S., Davidson, J., & Aiken, M. P. (2020) Safer technology, safer users: The UK as a world-leader in Safety Tech. Online Safety Technology Sectoral Analysis. Report prepared for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport UK. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/887349/Safer_technology__safer_users-_The_UK_as_a_world-leader_in_Safety_Tech.pdf
  • Aiken, M. P. (2020) ‘The Social Diatribe.’ The Psychologist (33) https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-33/november-2020/social-diatribe
  • Aiken, M. P. (2019). Life in Cyberspace. (European Investment Bank  'Big Ideas' series - Book 5) Kindle edition. European Investment Bank. https://t.co/lDe1dZauOy?amp=1
  • Aiken, M. P. (2019, March). (Contributor to report by Northstar Research and Arm ) Youth on Tech. Retrieved from https://t.co/MGZt6Yi4SC?amp=1
  • Aiken, M. P. (2018, July 10) Manipulating Fast, and Slow. Retrieved from https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/manipulating-fast-and-slow
  • Aiken, M. P. (2018, April 30) Mass Killing and Technology: The Hidden Links. Retrieved from https://debugged.wilsoncenter.org/mass-killing-and-technology-the-hidden-links-b434ba6825e1
  • DeMarco, J.,  Cheevers, C.,  Davidson, J., Bogaerts, S.,  Pace, U.,  Aiken, M.P., Caretti, V.,  Schimmenti, A., & Bifulco, A. (2017) Digital dangers and cyber-victimisation: a study of European adolescent online risky behaviour for sexual exploitation. Clinical Neuropsychiatry, 14 (1). pp. 104-112. ISSN 1724-4935 http://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/24169/
  • Aiken, M. P., Davidson, J., Amann, P. (2016) 'Youth Pathways into Cybercrime' (Report) Retrieved from https://www.europol.europa.eu/publications-documents/youth-pathways-cybercrime
  • Aiken, M. P. (2016). Develop and Thrive in a Real Life Cyberpsychology Career. In Zafar, R  (Ed.), The Internet of Women: Accelerating Culture Change  (Innovation and Change in Education) (283-286). Denmark: River Publishers.
  • Aiken, M. P. (2016). The Cyber Effect. New York. Random House, Spiegel & Grau.
  • Aiken, M. P. (2016, September). (Reviewer and contributor to the Royal Society Report  “Progress and Research in Cybersecurity Supporting a Resilient and Trustworthy System  for the UK”).  Retrieved from https://royalsociety.org/~/media/policy/projects/cybersecurity-research/cybersecurity-research-report.pdf    
  • Haughton, C., Aiken, M. P., & Cheevers, C. (2015). Cyber babies. The impact of emerging technology on the developing child. Psychology Research. 5(9), 504-518. DOI:10.17265/2159-5542/2015.09.002    
  • Aiken, M.P., & Berry, M. (2015). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Possibilities for Olfaction and Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy. Virtual Reality Journal. 19 (2), 95-109.http://rd.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10055-015-0260-x/fulltext.html   
  • Aiken, M.P., & Mc Mahon, C. (2014). The Cyberpsychology of Internet Facilitated Organised Crime, Europol Organised Crime Threat Assessment Report (iOCTA). Retrieved from https://www.europol.europa.eu/content/internet-organised-crime-threat-assesment-iocta
  • Aiken, M. P., & Kirwan, G. H. (2013). “The Psychology of Cyberchondria and ‘‘Cyberchondria by Proxy’’. In A. Power & G. Kirwan (Eds.), Cyberpsychology and New Media: A Thematic Reader. Oxford: Routledge.
  • Aiken, M. P., & Kirwan. G. (2012). “Prognoses for diagnoses: medical search online and “cyberchondria”.” BMC Proceedings. Vol. 6. No. Suppl 4. BioMed Central, 2012.http://www.biomedcentral.com/1753-6561/6/S4/P30
  • Aiken, M. P., Kirwan, G. H., Berry, M. J., & O Boyle, C. A. (2012). “The Age of Cyberchondria”. Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Student Medical Journal 2012; 5: 71-74 http://www.rcsismj.com/wp-content/uploads/RCSIsmj-Vol5-Cyberchondria.pdf
  • Aiken, M. P., Moran, M., & Berry, M. J. (2011). “Child abuse material and the Internet: Cyberpsychology of online child related sex offending”. Report INTERPOL Global Learning Research Centre retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mike-Berry-2/publication/277774727_Aiken_Moran_Berry_2011/links/5572ff1508aeb6d8c017af5e/Aiken-Moran-Berry-2011.pdf

Selected Keynotes & Conferences

  • Aiken, M. P (2021) "The Cyber Effect: How Human Behaviour Changes Online" Centrify Corporation
  • Aiken, M. P (2021) “Safety Tech and Your Expanded Attack Surface: Complementary Approaches to Cybersecurity to Protect your People Online” (21 January) TEISTalk: Cracking Cybersecurity (Virtual)
  • Aiken, M. P (2020) "Online Safety Technology: Towards a Global Market" (5 November) United Nations Internet Governance Forum 2020. (Virtual)
  • Aiken, M. P (2020) "Cyber Leadership: Embracing Ambiguity, Uncertainty & Change" (9 June) Webinar Chief Marketer Institute Europe. (Virtual)
  • Aiken, M. P (2020) "Safer technology, safer users: U.K. Online Safety Technology Sectoral Analysis (21 May) U.K. Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Investor Roundtable (Virtual)
  • Aiken, M. P (2019) "Online Harms – from Harassment to Misinformation" (13 December) Paladin Capital Cyber Security Symposium, Washington DC, USA.
  • Aiken, M. P (2019) "Perpetrators and Predators: a cybersecurity paradox" (24 September) Sibos. London.
  • Aiken, M. P (2019) "Using the medium of T.V. to teach people the psychology of Cyberspace" (8 August) American Psychological Association (APA) 2019 Convention. Chicago, USA.
  • Aiken, M. P (2019). "Forecasting and planning for the Future" (4 July) INTERPOL World Conference. Singapore.
  • Aiken, M. P (2019). "Cyber Effects: Implications for China." (17 June) Launch of the Chinese edition of the Cyber Effect. Beijing, China.
  • Aiken, M. P (2019). "Cyber risk-taking, delinquency and criminality: youth pathways into cybercrime" (15 June) Global Conference on Youth and Cybercrime. Hong Kong.
  • Aiken, M. P. (2018) ‘The Challenge of Insider Threat’ Cybersecurity Session at the Swiss International Finance Forum on October 25, 2018, in Zurich, Switzerland.
  • Aiken, M. P. (2018). “The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Society”  BBC, Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence (CFI) and University of Cambridge. BBC Broadcasting House, Marylebone, London, UK.
  • Aiken, M. P. (2018) ‘Humans, Machines and the Psychological Impact of AI in Finance’ European Investment Roundtable. 26-28 September. Copenhagen: Denmark.
  • Aiken, M. P. (2018) “AI & Cyber Effects on Healthcare” Spark Summit at the Royal College of Surgeons. 5th October. Dublin Ireland.
  • Aiken, M. P. (2018). "When Humans and Technology Collide" (April 30) Collision Web Summit. New Orleans USA.
  • Aiken, M. P. (2018). “Rebooting Tech for a Human-Centered Approach” (March 8-18) SXSW Festival Austin Texas USA.
  • Aiken, M. P. (2017). “How Cyber has Changed the World Around Us” (18 October) National Cryptologic Museum Foundation Annual Symposium John Hopkins University MD USA.
  • Aiken, M. P. (2017). "The Future of Cyber criminality and Artificial Intelligence” (July 5) ENISA - European Parliament MEP’s Strasburg, France
  • Aiken, M. P. (2017). "Hacking the Human" (27 June) Cyber Week – Tel Aviv University, Israel
  • Aiken, M. P. (2017)."The Cyberpsychology of Cybercrime" (7 June) Norfolk State University USA
  • Aiken, M. P. (2017). " Hacking Human Attention: The Ethics of Persuasive Technology" (26, May) The Oxford Union
  • Aiken, M. P. (2017). "The Cyber Effect: The Impact of Technology on Humankind" (22, May) Innotown Conference Norway.
  • Aiken, M. P. (2017) "The Future of Cyber Crime” (28 February ) The AIA 8th Ambassadors’ Roundtable On Cyber Security, Royal Society London.
  • Aiken, M. P. (2017) “Forensic Cyberpsychology: Impact of Technology on Human Behaviour’ (10 January ) ‘DUBAI HEALTH FORUM 2017’ Dubai.
  • O’Sullivan. B & Aiken, M. P. & Shanahan, N. (2016) "The Future of Cyber Crime’ (16 November) The End is Nigh #2 - Automatic Disqualification: Will AI Mean The End of Work, or The End of Humans? Science Gallery, Dublin.
  • Aiken, M. P. (2016). Human Factors in Cybersecurity (18 October). United States Naval Academy Centre for Cyber Security Studies. Annapolis USA.
  • Aiken, M. P. (2016). “The Rights of a Child in Cyber Contexts” . Panel discussion with Sharon Stone actor and peace activist, Rob Wainwright Director of Europol, Victor Ochen, UN Global Goals Ambassador for Peace and Justice, and his excellency Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Hague Netherlands.                   
  • Aiken, M. P. (2016). Chair:  “Encryption and Anonymity Online: Advantages and Challenges” (19 -20 May 2016 ). ‘Privacy in the Digital Age of Encryption and Anonymity Online Conference’ Europol,  & ENISA (European Union Agency for Network and Information Security),  & EIPA (European Institute of Public Administration ). The Hague.
  • Aiken, M. P. (2016). “The Cyberpsychology of Privacy” (18 April 2016). Technology & Democracy Symposium. University of Cambridge. Cambridge. UK..
  • Aiken, M. P., Mahen, M., Burrows, M., Tomchak, D. & Dredge, S. (2015). “The Guardian presents: turning clicktivism into activism” (04 November 2015). Web Summit 2015, Dublin, Ireland.
  • Aiken, M. P. & Moire, J. F. (2015). “Space & time: The true potential of VR” (04 November). Web Summit 2015, Dublin, Ireland.
  • .Aiken, M. P. (2015). “Loyola Marymount University Steed Symposium on Cyber Security: Is There a Safe Box in the Cloud”. (15th June). Los Angeles Film Festival. Los Angeles. USA
  • Aiken, M. P. (2015). “Cyberpsychology – The Impact of Technology on Human Behavior” (11th June). Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate (ITTC), Menlo Park, CA
  • Aiken, M. P. (2015). “Cyberpsychology: Leadership in Cyberspace” (4th May). The United States Military Academy West Point, New York.
  • Aiken, M. P. (2015). (25th April). “Cyber Staging: Implications for Justice in an Age of Technology.” The Irish Criminal Bar Association (ICBA), Kings Inns, Dublin.
  • Aiken, M. P. (2015). “Introduction to Forensic Cyberpsychology.” EC3 Academic Advisory Network (EC3AAN) (12th April). The European Cyber Crime Centre EC3 at Europol, The Hague. The Netherlands
  • Aiken, M. P. (2015). “Cyber-securing the Human.” 5th World Cybersecurity Technology Research Summit. (19th March) Queens University Belfast.
  • Aiken, M. P. (2015).” The RCSI Cyberpsychology Research Centre”.  MIT Media Lab. (16th January) Boston.
  • Aiken, M. P. (2014, October).  “Youth Escalation Online: Cyber Behavioral Analysis – Preliminary Results” INTERPOL Specialists Group Conference 2014 Bermuda.
  • Aiken, M. P. (2014, September). The Psychology of Cyberspace, CBS Board of Directors, Los Angeles.
  • Aiken, M.P. (2014, June). Cyberpsychology of cyber security. Video Presentation. Cyber Endeavour 2014 Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California, United States.
  • Aiken, M.P. (2014, April). The cyberpsychology of cybercrime. 15th International Conference of the International Academy of Investigative Psychology, London Southbank University, United Kingdom.
  • Aiken, M.P. (2014, April 14). The cyberpsychology of child internet interface and the ethics of algorithms. [Invited lecture]. Cyber Ethics Public Forum (Part of the President of Ireland’s Ethics Initiative. Trinity College Dublin: Dublin, Ireland. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/3xlud5ZQyxc
  • Chan, S., & Aiken, M. P. (2013). “Big Data to Big Insight for Human Trafficking: Analysis of Adaption Cycles for Digital Image Deployment on Online Classified Sites”. Presented at the White House Forum to Combat Human Trafficking. Washington D.C.
  • Quayle, E., Aiken, M. P., & Cartwright, A. (2012). “Understanding the dynamics of online victimisation and victim narratives as an enabler for prevention”. In N. Gaughan (Chair). International Collaboration: An Enabler for Prevention. Symposium conducted at the meeting of the Virtual Global Taskforce, Abu Dhabi.
  • Aiken, M. P. (2012). Report to the Microsoft Research Faculty Summit July 16–17, 2012 – ‘Human Trafficking and Technology Implications’, “Cyberpsychology and the Role of Technology in Human Trafficking” Redmond, Washington, United States
  • Aiken, M. P., Kirwan, G. H., Berry, M. J. & O’Boyle, C.A. (2012,).  “Cyberchondria: The Impact of Technology on Somatoform Disorders” Comorbidity within Psychiatric Disorders and Medical Illness Conference, 8th International Conference on Psychiatry, Jeddah, April 2012.
  • Berry, M. J., Bainbridge, S., & Aiken, M. P. (2011). “Cyber stalking in 18-30 year olds in Manchester”. Paper presented at the International Crime, Media & Popular Cultures Conference, Indiana State University, US. 26th – 28th September 2011.
  • Aiken, M. P., Moran, M., & Berry, M. J. (2011). “Child abuse material and the Internet: Cyberpsychology of online child related sex offending”. Paper presented at the 29th Meeting of the INTERPOL Specialist Group on Crimes against Children, Interpol General Secretariat Lyon, France. 5th – 7th September 2011.

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