Catherine Menon

My research looks at the use of software in safety-critical systems, particularly autonomous systems. I'm currently interested in the interaction between safety requirements, security requirements, ethical imperatives and trust constraints in autonomous systems such as assistive robots and autonomous vehicles (AVs).

I've previously worked with safety-critical systems in the defence and nuclear sector, and have been involved in producing and validating several international standards for these domains. I am a member of the BSI AMT/10 and AMT/10/1 Committees, providing UK input into ISO/TC 299 (standardisation in robotics) and BS 8611 (ethical design and application of robotic devices). I am also a member of the IEEE P7009 Working Group, currently developing a standard for fail-safe mechanisms in autonomous systems. I am a founding member of the Safety of Autonomous Systems Working Group, as well as a member of the IET Technical Committee developing the Code of Practice for Cyber Security and Safety.

I have a PhD in mathematics, specialising in category theory. I also have an MA in Creative Writing, and my novel Fragile Monsters was the lead debut for Viking Penguin, in 2021. I'm currently pursuing an MA in International Relations and War, am a chartered engineer and have worked for several years as a safety consultant in the defence and nuclear industries.