Profile
Gwenna’s academic and professional experience has been driven by a strong interest in security policy and strategic decision-making. Prior to her doctoral studies, she worked in Portsmouth as a researcher for the Royal Navy’s internal think tank, where she played a role in shaping strategic policy development and long-term security planning.
Prior to that, she was a Research Assistant at the University of Nottingham, where she also completed her MA, supporting projects on insurgency recruitment strategies and the organisational dynamics of non-state armed groups. Alongside her doctoral studies, she is currently part of the Ukraine Reconstruction team at the UK Department for Business and Trade.
PhD research
Gwenna’s research explores how elite decision-makers perceive and respond to threats in an increasingly complex and information-saturated global environment. Focusing on cognitive biases, heuristics, and psychological mechanisms, her work investigates judgment under uncertainty and the way leaders construct narratives, interpret signals, and make security-related decisions in high-stakes scenarios.
Drawing from political psychology, behavioural economics, and communication theory, the project examines leadership framing of strategic intent, the dynamics of trust and mistrust, and the communication of perceived threats to domestic and international audiences. Instead of anchoring her analysis in a specific crisis or region, Gwenna’s research offers a conceptual framework to understand how leadership perception and cognitive framing influence global security tensions, contributing to a deeper understanding of the psychological foundations of 21st- century statecraft
Interests and activities
Outside of academia and policy work, Gwenna is an avid runner and enthusiastic baker. She enjoys exploring the outdoors whenever possible and appreciates time spent in nature as a balance to her research-driven life.