Zena Wood
The Defence Data Research Centre is part of the UK Government’s Defence AI Strategy and Defence AI Centre. The DDRC operates as a consortium led by Zena Wood at the University of Exeter and includes the Universities of Liverpool, and Surrey and the Digital Catapult. DDRC brings together expertise in data science, computer science, cyber, social science and business. My objective is to help MOD overcome its technical, cultural, and behavioural barriers to the use of data within AI and Data Science. This is achieved by delivering practical insights to advance the use of data for Artificial Intelligence applications; investigating data-driven decision making within a defence context; and exploring how solutions and mitigations developed by the Centre could be applied elsewhere to benefit the wider UK economy. DDRC activity focuses on four areas (research, problem solving, community building and impact acceleration), all of which are seen as equally important.