Serving his country is literally in his DNA.
With many family ties to the military, Robecca grew up with a strong sense of duty and a desire to serve his country.
She specializes in ethics, law and governance of AI– strengthened defense and security capabilities and said she was proud to work for the Defense Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) whose objective is to guarantee the security of our armed forces.
Robecca said:
“My family ties to the military were an inspiration for me to come work for Dstl.
“It’s that sense of shared values… the sense of duty and service is something we share in common even though I’m not in uniform.
“I wanted to do something meaningful with my life and give back to my country. Working for Dstl This is my way of doing it.
Robecca’s career
After graduating with a first class honours degree in forensic psychobiology, Robecca worked at the Atomic Weapons Establishment.
With her experience in the defense sector, she Dstl Her career began at the organisation’s headquarters in Salisbury seven years ago, before working remotely for 18 months from a military base in New York, USA, as a military spouse.
Returning to the UK, Robecca joined the inaugural Newcastle team when the new site opened in 2022 and where his work is helping to shape the defence and security landscape.
She said:
“I work at the intersection of what technology can do and what technology should do.
“I ensure that checks and balances – in terms of ethics, laws, international standards and regulations – are applied to the development and use of artificial intelligence.
“The most exciting thing about my role is working directly with the development teams on new projects. AI abilities. »
Robecca also says that the rapid evolution of both AI and the ethical, legal and regulatory landscape that surrounds it make it a complex but crucial responsibility.
While on maternity leave, Robecca learned that she had been named one of the 100 brilliant women AI Ethics 2024 – an award recognizing his dedication to this work.
She said:
“I work with a lot of really smart people that I admire. I’ve recently made a special effort to try to find mentors in other organizations, people whose careers I would like to follow. It’s important to show, especially to young women who may be starting their careers or in high school, that there are opportunities like this for people like you.”
His day at the office can range from leading international workshops to participating in field research trials, with military personnel and land, air and sea platforms.
Facilitating a Five Eyes Workshop
Robecca said:
“I am particularly proud of a workshop I organised with around 80 military lawyers and academics from the Five Eyes – the UK, US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
“It was an opportunity for these lawyers to work together on legal reviews of AI-compatible weapons; explore the similarities and differences in our approaches, in order to anticipate interoperability challenges and opportunities, so that if we were deployed on allied missions, we could see how we could use, share or transfer capabilities or where tensions and difficulties might arise.
“I’m proud of that because I’m not a lawyer. I almost felt like I didn’t deserve my seat at the table, but I ended up leading the debate.”
In her free time, Robecca enjoys traveling and writing poetry for her children. However, some of her most exciting challenges have come through her work.
Highlight of work at Dstl
Robecca said:
“The coolest thing I’ve ever done in Dstl It was probably data collection during a military exercise that was taking place in a fort on the edge of a cliff. Blackhawk helicopters were appearing out of nowhere, Chinooks were flying overhead, and there was a ship at sea.
“In complete darkness we stood on top of this fort and watched an ‘attack’ unfold. The only way we could see what was happening was by the red of the flare in the sky.
“I remember thinking, ‘I can’t believe I’m getting paid to do this, because this is something I would have paid to do.’ It was amazing. And it’s exactly the kind of career I want!”
