Dr Lilly Pijnenburg Muller joined KCL on the ‘Cyber Security, Knowledge and Practices’ (CYKNOW) project in 2024 after working in the Science and Technology Studies department at Cornell University as a Fulbright scholar in 2022-2023. She is an interdisciplinary researcher in critical security studies and science and technology studies (STS) with interests in technology, the politics of (in)security and power. She has been contributing to a new research agenda of critical cybersecurity and on science and technology studies and security studies. Currently, she is working on her first monograph on cybersecurity as a sociotechnical security practice.

Research Interests: 

• Critical Security Studies
• Security practices in the digital age
• International Political Sociology
• Critical methods in International Relations and Science and Technology Studies
• Cybersecurity
• Emerging technology

Lilly is currently writing a monograph on cybersecurity as a sociotechnical practice in world politics. The book traces the sociotechnical making of threats and its impact on (in)security. This analysis is centred on threat intelligence organizations, a body of cybersecurity experts, that both create knowledge of threats and security there against.

She has also contributed to a new research agenda on fusing science and technology studies with critical security studies, and a research agenda for a critical approach to cybersecurity.

Her work focuses on emerging technology in changing security practices and, recently, the role of technology in the development of AI in security practices.

She is developing a new project on the role choice in machine learning and the expansion of datafication in governance.

Examples of research funding:

Cornell University – King’s College London Global Strategic Collaboration Awards 2023-2024 with Assistant Professor Rebecca Slayton (STS, Cornell University) and Assistant Professor Kovali Coopamootoo (Informatics, KCL)

Fulbright scholarship, Cornell University, 2022-2023

Full doctoral ESRC studentship, London Interdisciplinary Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (LISS DTP, 2019-2022)

Norwegian ministry of Defence, NATO and cybersecurity 2018

Publications

Journal Articles 

• Muller, LP (2023) ‘Unravelling cybersecurity: The Cyber Security Kill Chain’, European Journal of International Relations. R&R
• Muller, LP and Welfens (2023) ‘(Not) Accessing the Castle: Grappling with Secrecy in Research on Security Practices.’ Secrecy and Society3(1) https://doi.org/10.55917/2377-6188.1073
• Coles-Kemp, Lizzie., Dunn Cavelty, Myriam. Dwyer, Andrew., Muller, Lilly., Stevens, Clare, Thornton, Pip (2022) ‘What can a critical cybersecurity do?’ International Political Sociology. 16(3). https://doi.org/10.1093/ips/olac013
• Bromander, S., Muller, LP., et al. (2020)"Investigating sharing of Cyber Threat Intelligence and proposing a new data model for enabling automation in knowledge representation and exchange." Digital Threats: Research and Practice. DTRAP
• Muller, L.P (2019). Inn i gråsonen: avskrekking som forsvar av cyberspace?. Internasjonal Politikk, 77(3): 288–295. http://dx.doi.org/10.23865/intpol.v77.1397
• Muller, L.P. (2016) ‘Public Private cooperation to secure cyberspace’ In Friis and Ringsmose, Conflict in cyber space: Theoretical, strategic, legal and ethical implications (pp. 56-78). London: Routledge
• Muller, L.P. (2016) “Makt og avmakt i cyberspace: hvordan skal vi styre det digitale rom?” [ Power and lack of power in cyberspace, how can we govern cyberspace?] International Politikk. Vol 74, No 4

Reports 

• Muller, L.P. (2019) “Military Offensive Cyber-Capabilities: Small-State Perspectives. NUPI Policy Brief January http://hdl.handle.net/11250/2583385
• Muller, L.P et al (2018) Cyber-weapons in International Politics : Possible sabotage against the Norwegian petroleum sector. Nupi Report. http://hdl.handle.net/11250/2486814
• Muller, L.P. and Stevens, T (2017) “Upholding the NATO cyber pledge: Cyber Deterrence and Resilience: Dilemmas in NATO defense and security politics” NUPI Policy Brief 15.mai http://hdl.handle.net/11250/2442559
• Muller, L.P. (2017) “What is the Point of Multi-stakeholdersim?” Power Rules in Global Internet Governance. NUPI working paper 881
• Muller, L.P. (2017) “On the Digital Wave: Public-private cooperation for cyber-capacity building in the developing word. NUPI Working paper 883
• Bada, M., Muller LP. et al (2016) “Cyber Security Capacity Review of the UK” Global Cyber Security Capacity Building Center, University of Oxford, November 2016
• Muller, L.P. (2015) ‘Securing Cyberspace. Coordinating Public-Private Cooperation’. NUPI Policy Brief No. 20.
• Muller, L.P. (2015) ‘Cyber Security Capacity Building in Developing Countries: Challenge and Opportunities’. NUPI Report, Oslo, NUPI
• Muller, L.P. (2015) Cyber Security Capacity Building in Developing Countries. NUPI Policy Brief No.15
• Muller, L.P. and Schia N.N (2015) New issues in peacekeeping: cybersecurity in Peter, Mateja et al. [ed.] (2015). United Nations Peace Operations. Oslo, NUPI
• Muller, L.P and Friis K. (2014) "Stor ståhei for ingenting? Debatten rundt USAs Air Sea Battle”. NUPI Policy Brief No. 6, 26. June