- Tell us about Rebecca Hope
I studied Criminology and Social Policy at university, where I discovered my passion for research. Outside of work, I enjoy attending comedy festivals across the UK and am on a mission to see as many comedians as possible. I’m a big F1 fan, am currently re-learning to play the guitar after a few years away from it, and I also enjoy writing. Recently, I performed at a poetry night for the first time!
I am a Research Analyst in the Research and Insights team at MASS, where I apply the socio-political perspective I honed during my university studies to our diverse research projects. My role involves monitoring and analysing competitors, geopolitics and policy developments, various markets and emerging technologies to ensure that MASS and our customers stay informed about innovations, and trends across multiple industries and markets.
- Why Research and Why MASS?
I’ve always loved learning and exploring things. I find the process of investigation and policy analysis fascinating. From a policy perspective, research is a powerful tool for shaping meaningful policies that benefit society and enhance our safety.
During my final year at university, I volunteered for the CoronaNet Reseach Project. The project created a dataset examining every policy enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic and can be used by policymakers to evaluate policy responses to future pandemics. It was an incredible experience that showed me the positive impact research can have for the future and solidified my decision to pursue a career in research.
After graduating, I joined MASS as a Graduate Research Analyst. The flexibility offered by MASS was particularly appealing to me, allowing me the freedom to work from home, in St Neots near where I’m from, or in Lincoln, where I studied at university. It felt like the perfect opportunity to start my research career in such a supportive environment.
- Recently, you attended AI UK, what were the main take aways?
At this year’s AI UK, there were some interesting themes on show that highlighted the role AI can play in modern warfare (today and for the future). In particular, there was emphasis on the role AI can play in enhancing decision-making processes through Machine Learning (ML).
With AI assistance, personnel and resources can be freed up, allowing for greater investment in equipment and training for those engaged in this invisible war. Amidst an increasingly complex, multi-threat battlespace with threats growing in complexity, AI can enable decision-makers to better understand the broader picture in real time, distinguish between different threats faster and empower effective operational planning.
There was also a focus on the changing nature of cyber defence, which brings new challenges as well as opportunities. One of the opportunities is the role AI can play in detecting, defending against and exploiting cyber threats, particularly threats against critical national infrastructure. It is expected that this will become increasingly critical for gaining advantage over adversaries.
- What’s MASS doing today to ensure the work it does continues to shape how it’s customers respond to this evolution?
As a business we’re always looking for new opportunities to raise the bar, to be even more innovative in how and what we deliver to our customers. A big part of that is the work we do as a Research and Insight team. We’re constantly exploring new and emerging technologies and facilitating new technology through working groups and hackathons that keep innovation at the forefront of the work we do.
An exciting part of this is the geopolitical insights we provide. Within this, we continuously research countries and the defence and security landscapes around the world and monitor policy developments, emerging security threats and challenges. This research helps us understand their impact, the customers’ needs and helps MASS stay ahead of the ongoing evolution of warfare.
Rebecca will be at this year’s AOC Europe 2025 along with our team of EW & CEMA Experts, where she’ll be keen to understand new trends in the industry, including how Europe is reacting to the emergence of the invisible war.
