ISST Alumni Interview with Jasneet Kaur Taak

Jasneet Kaur Taak guest lectures at Imperial College London

The Institute for Security Science and Technology caught up with Security and Resilience MSc alumna Jasneet Kaur Taak.

What was your background before you came to Imperial?

Before I came to Imperial, I was a BSc Physics graduate from Queen Mary University of London. After finishing my degree, I took some time out to figure out my next steps.

I decided to take a year out so I could apply to my dream university, Imperial College London, and in the interim interned with the Imperial Institute of Shock Physics and also as an AI Researcher at Northrop Grumman.

These opportunities were shown to me by Dr Mark Richards, Dr Bill Proud, Professor Deeph Channa, and Dr John Hassard, who recommended I go for both roles.

I met Dr Mark Richards while taking part in Imperial’s Year 12 Work Experience Programme and we have stayed in contact ever since! I really believe without them my career wouldn’t be where it is today.

What was your favourite part of the Security and Resilience MSc course?

I really enjoyed the variety of the course, but if I had to name one specific part I enjoyed, it would be the Entrepreneurship for Physicists module!

One of the key reasons I was set on going to Imperial was because of their entrepreneurial talent and facilities, such as Enterprise Lab. As I joined Imperial during COVID, I was worried I wouldn't be able to make the best use of Imperial’s entrepreneurial facilities. However, this wasn’t the case.

I was blown away by how good the Entrepreneurship for Physicists class was. We went through all aspects of entrepreneurship, from registering IP and patents to understanding financial models. It helped that we were being taught by a really successful entrepreneur: Dr John Hassard has successfully exited many companies for millions!

As part of the Security and Resilience MSc, students complete a summer project with one of ISST's many partners from across industry, academia, and government. Could you tell us about your project and what you achieved?

I was lucky enough to have studied two projects with ISST’s partners.

My first project was with FFI, the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment, and focused on supply chains and the security of ports. Supply chains were negatively affected by COVID during the time I wrote my summer project. There was a lack of security at ports due to security personnel having to work from home and I was fascinated with how to solve port security issues during this time.

My second project was with NATO, the Georgia Institute of Technology, and John Hopkins University. This project focused on how to counter misinformation by using AI and our report was published by NATO! 

We discovered that Artificial intelligence-based sentiment analysis represents an entirely new approach to mitigating misinformation: training computers to identify messages and posts containing elements of surprise, disgust, and other emotional predictors that are more likely to be associated with false information and inflame the passions of social media users.

We created a promising working prototype and developed feasibility assessments and potential regulatory approaches.

How has the Security and Resilience MSc helped you with your career to date?

The MSc helped me gain an in-depth understanding of the cybersecurity industry: how it operates and where there is room for improvement. It equipped me with the knowledge to become an expert in the field, which has been really useful whilst working as a Founder’s Associate at SenseOn.

This was what I thought would be the main takeaway from the MSc, however I have also learnt how to think pragmatically, whilst always assuming compromise. As someone who is heavily involved in the start-up world, this has been a really helpful skill when dealing with investors, planning roadmaps, and dealing with company finances.

What are you working on now and why is it important?

I am currently working for a cybersecurity start-up, SenseOn, who are disrupting the cybersecurity industry using a non-traditional approach. SenseOn provides an end-to-end security platform, which is unique as many companies use multiple security tools to consolidate their platform!

Threat actors within the cyberspace are growing at an exponential rate due to the rapid evolution of tech and AI, and so I am really happy to be part of a fast-growing, disruptive cybersecurity start-up!

In addition to SenseOn, I am an advisor at QA-UK, which aims to produce reliable green power, extract CO2 from the atmosphere, and offer a carbon negative method to desalinate seawater, granting communities around the world access to clean water.

I am also working on my own start-up within e-commerce. I can’t say too much as it’s currently in stealth mode! Stay tuned for further updates…

You recently returned to Imperial College London to give a lecture to our students. What did your lecture concern and how did it feel to be back?

I came back to Imperial to open the Entrepreneurship for Physicists module. It was surreal to comprehend that two years ago I was sat on the other side of the class, as a student eager to learn more about entrepreneurship in the hopes of one day starting her own company. Coming back two years later with an e-commerce company under my belt was a really humbling experience, and I cannot thank the people enough who have helped me on my journey.

What is your key piece of advice for students wanting to pursue a career in the security and resilience space?

I would tell them to go for it! This space is the most important and yet under-acknowledged space in my opinion. Cyber threats are growing at an exponential rate, with thousands of cyber criminals hacking into accounts and systems daily. In a time where the AI and tech space is becoming more and more advanced, there is a growing need to securely protect these advancements, so they don’t fall into the wrong hands.

We need to increase our capability to defend against cyber attacks, and this can only happen by educating more professionals within the field.

Is there anything else you'd like to highlight?

I was featured in Imperial news a couple of years ago because I had co-founded Accelerate, a social impact initiative that helped BAME students get top university offers and internships. I was really proud of Accelerate, having started it at 22 years old, and still am proud!

A few years later, I have once again been featured on Imperial News, but now for my ecommerce startup and experience on the MSc course. So I’d like to highlight having the trait of resilience and staying determined. Though these may seem quite basic skills, in my opinion, they are the two sole factors that will determine your success.

Everything else can be learnt, but you need to have the resilience and determination to learn things and only then will you reach new heights!

Learn more about the Security and Resilience MSc course. 

Learn more about the ISST Scholarship, launched in 2023.