RUSI welcomes successful candidates for the Joint RUSI/University of Roehampton Business School PhD Programme

The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in partnership with the University of Roehampton Business School is delighted to announce that Joanne Mackowski and Lauren Twort have been selected as candidates for the newly created Joint RUSI/University of Roehampton Business School three year PhD programme, sponsored by BAE Systems and Grant Thornton UK LLP.

Lauren has just recently completed a double MA in International Relations at the University of Kent and the Higher School of Economics in Moscow. Her MA dissertation examined the Detrimental Effects of Shadow Economies on Regional Conflicts. During her year in Moscow she also worked as an intern at the Center for Policy Studies in Russia (PIR Center) where she focused on WMD non-proliferation issues. She received a joint degree in Global Politics and English from Christ Church University in Canterbury.  Lauren will study for a PhD in corruption, conflict and sovereign wealth recovery.

Joanne has been a Research Analyst at RUSI since 2011. She conducted research on various topics including 'cross-domain operations and interoperability', 'the role of industry in the air power domain' and 'women's role in the defence and security sector'.  As part of RUSI's Conflict, War and Culture Programme she helped to conceptualise and organise the 2011 Women in Defence and Security Leadership Conference. She also worked part-time in risk analysis, specifically on global terrorist attacks. Joanne has an MA from the School of Oriental and African Studies in International Studies and Diplomacy, and a BA from Durham University in History. Joanne will study for a PhD in leadership, gender and identity in defence.

Within the programme Joanne and Lauren will conduct their research in a double function as full members of the RUSI staff and Roehampton's learning community, thereby benefiting from both the network of one of the world's leading think tanks and a high-quality academic environment tailored to enhance the employability and career prospects of students. The combination of Lauren's and Joanne's research will enrich the research portfolio of RUSI's Defence, Industries and Society Programme (DISP), which functions as the RUSI host for the PhD programme.

The research will be supervised by Professor Rebecca Boden (Director Centre for Organizational Research, University of Roehampton), and Dr John Louth (Director Defence, Industries and Society Programme, RUSI).

The Defence, Industries and Society Programme (DISP) aims to facilitate an evidence-based understanding of the place of industry has in Western defence and wider society. It is intended to inform mainstream academic, industrial and political debates relating to future military capabilities, foreign policy ambitions, investment choices, and policies impacting on businesses supporting defence. The programme systematically, independently and rigorously accesses the 'defence industrial ecosystem' and analyses the forces in operation, to glean a deep understanding that frames and informs the national, regional and international policy debates. It aims to build up a 'defence, industries and society narrative' that will help policy-makers, industrialists and other stakeholders within wider society to make sense of their professional world.

The University of Roehampton Business School offers high quality undergraduate, postgraduate and research programmes tailored to enhance the employability and career prospects of all students. Its programmes are recognised and accredited by UK Chartered Professional Bodies, including the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). Study is guided by a committed team of academics who have both practical experience and expert insight. Its programmes reflect the ethos and distinctiveness of the school by examining business in its social context, underpinned by notions of cultural awareness and social justice. The school aims to inspire students to achieve their potential as individuals as well as support them in their chosen careers.

BAE Systems is a global defence, aerospace and security company employing around 93,500 people worldwide. Its wide-ranging products and services cover air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology, and support services.

Grant Thornton UK LLP is one of the world's leading organisations of independent assurance, tax and advisory firms. Over 31,000 Grant Thornton people, across 100 countries, are focused on making a difference to clients, colleagues and the communities in which they live and work.