We are pleased to announce that we have awarded Round II Seed Grant Funding to three standout projects originally supported through the inaugural Security & Defence PLuS Seed Grant Scheme.
The S&D+ Seed Grant Scheme is designed to support the development or expansion of research collaborations across our partner universities: Arizona State University, King’s College London, and the University of New South Wales (UNSW). Grants are available for projects co-led by researchers from at least two of the three PLuS Alliance institutions, focusing on research aligned with security and defence objectives, including but not limited to AUKUS priorities.
This second round of funding helps these teams move toward sustainable funding pathways and/or commercialisation, building on the strong progress made during Stage I. Projects were selected based on their achievements against original objectives, adaptability, and clear plans for deepening collaboration and impact.
The three successful projects are listed below, along with short videos produced during their first year of funding that capture each team’s objectives, progress, and collaborative approach:
Understanding Integrated Deterrence and Security Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific
Project Co-Leads:
- Dr Thorin Wright, Associate Professor in the School of Politics and Global Studies, ASU
- Dr Sally Burt, Lecturer in the School of Humanities & Social Sciences, UNSW Canberra
- Dr Andrew Corbett, Senior Lecturer in Defence Studies Education, Defence Studies Department, King’s College London
- Professor Wyn Bowen, Head of the School of Security Studies, King’s College London
Hacking Defence: Training Simulation Architecture for Military Ethics Learning
Project Co-Leads:
- Professor Deane-Peter Baker, Associate Professor of Ethics, School of Humanities & Social Sciences, UNSW Canberra
- Professor David Whetham, Professor of Ethics and the Military Profession, Defence Studies Department, King’s College London
- Dr Heather Lum, Assistant Professor Human Systems Engineering, ASU
Emerging Norms in the Space Domain – Online Database
Project Co-Leads:
- Duncan Blake, Lecturer, School of Humanities & Social Sciences, UNSW Canberra
- Dr Mark Hilborne, Senior Lecturer in the School of Security Studies, King’s College London
- Professor Diana Bowman, Associate Dean for Applied Research and Partnerships, ASU Law, ASU
Each of these projects reflects the mission of Security & Defence PLuS: to foster innovative, interdisciplinary collaboration across our university alliance that supports real-world impact in security and defence. If you are interested in finding out more about partnering or funding these projects, please contact Security & Defence PLuS: [email protected].
New projects funded through the 2025 Seed Grant Scheme will be announced soon.