RazorSecure’s Dr Emma Taylor now on Department for Transport’s Science Advisory Council

Dr Emma Taylor, RazorSecure’s head of digital safety, has joined the Department for Transport’s Science Advisory Council.

The Science Advisory Council (SAC) delivers independent strategic advice and challenge to the Department for Transport (DfT) on important areas of science, social science, engineering and technology. Its members are academic and industry experts with specialisms relevant to transport. They support the role of DfT’s chief scientific adviser (CSA) Professor Sarah Sharples, in ensuring departmental activity is informed by the best external expertise and evidence, identifying relevant emerging issues and trends, and assuring DfT’s use of science and technology.

Dr Taylor is a Chartered Engineer with 30 years of experience in academia and industry across different highly regulated sectors, including transport and space. With experience in stakeholder management and regulatory compliance across NGOs, government and commercial actors, Dr Taylor has led the development of an ISO standard for space sector environmental mitigation and is active in the CENELEC rail cybersecurity group.

Dr Taylor is also a Visiting Professor at Cranfield University, working within Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing. She was previously Chair of the Safety and Reliability Society.

Speaking on her appointment, Dr Emma Taylor said: “I am honoured to have been appointed to the SAC and look forward to working with fellow members. As a system risk engineer working in cybersecurity, the challenges currently facing the transport sector are not fully appreciated.

“Cyber risks are seen as niche, expensive and difficult to understand. Yet IT and operational technology are ever more integrated, and if we are to meet the ambition for decarbonisation, we need to design for the future, understand the valuable role it can play in providing safe, reliable and efficient infrastructure. By making cyber easier to understand, we can maximise the benefits and reduce risk.”

Dr Taylor advocates and encourages under-represented groups into a technical career. She has used her profile gained through awards, including Telegraph Top 50 Women in Engineering, Cranfield University School of Management, Financial Times Top 100 Most Influential Women in UK Engineering and Computer Weekly’s Top 50 Women in Tech, to promote diversity across engineering, transport and technology.

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