speaking at PNDC’s workshop.
We are proud to host the 5th PNDC workshop on Communications and Cyber Security for Critical Infrastructures, held in conjunction with the 7th IEEE Smart Applications, Communications and Networking (SmartNets) conference, taking place from 22–24 July 2025 and hosted by Istinye University in Istanbul, Türkiye.
SmartNets 2025 aims to tackle digital transformation challenges (such as cybersecurity), and explore the future of wireless technologies like 5G and IoT. The conference will cover both theoretical and practical aspects of the Internet of Things, Smart Cities, Smart Factories, and the evolving Internet, fostering collaboration to enable secure, reliable, and connected systems.
As part of SmartNets, this year’s PNDC workshop brings together utility operators, academia, industry associations, regulators, and technology providers to address the challenges of securing robust and reliable energy systems and to shape the future of global energy infrastructure.
The 5th edition of the PNDC workshop will take place virtually on July 24th. This industry-focused event will explore the latest developments in communications and cybersecurity across the energy sector, providing a collaborative platform for participants to exchange ideas and showcase innovative solutions for critical infrastructures.
Agenda (Please note all times are British Summer Time (BST). The time in Türkiye is +2 hours ahead of BST)
The workshop will feature distinguished speakers from industry, academia, and government, offering valuable insights into the latest developments in communications and cybersecurity for critical infrastructures.
10:00 – 10:10 (Starts at 12:00 Türkiye time)
Opening and welcoming
Dr Kinan Ghanem , PNDC (University of Strathclyde)
10:10 – 10:15
IEEE SmartNets at a glance
Dr Tarek Bejaoui , IEEE SmartNets
10:15 – 10:30
PNDC’s Position in the Innovation Ecosystem
Richard Knight, PNDC (University of Strathclyde)
10:30 – 11:00
Privileged Access Workstations in OT – insights from the Engineering Laptops deployment
Peter Kaela , ScottishPower
11:00 – 11:30
Nokia Quantum Safe-Networks –Securing networks for the Quantum Era
Marta Buffa and Marco Terenziani, , Nokia
11:30 – 12:00
From Compliance to Confidence: Assuring Security and Resilience of Connected Devices in the Power Utilities sector
Andrew Rae , Smart Net Zero
12:00 – 12:30
DSbD Securing the Future: Developing Higher Integrity Systems through Memory Safety
Dr Haydn Povey , SCI Semiconductor
How to attend:
MS Teams meeting details will be provided to registered participants via email. To join the workshop, please get in touch via the website, email pndc@strath.ac.uk, or contact one of the organising committee below.
PNDC Workshop Organising Committee
Dr Will Drury , Chief Executive Officer, PNDC
Dr James Irvine , Reader, University of Strathclyde
Kathleen Davis , Chief Commercial Officer, PNDC
Dr Kinan Ghanem , Lead R&D Engineer, Comms and Cyber Security, PNDC
Dan Cutting , Head of Business Development, PNDC
Kara Hazelgrave , Innovation Engagement Manager, PNDC
Steven Forbes , Marketing & Communications Lead, PNDC
IEEE SmartNets 2025
For more information on the main conference, please visit the IEEE SmartNets website.