Kristen Csenkey, Ph.D. is a technology governance expert who brings a unique social science perspective to the complexities of global cyber governance, technology interdependence, and geopolitics. 

As a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) postdoctoral fellow at the Brian Mulroney Institute of Government, St. Francis Xavier University, her research focuses on global competition through the regulation of technologies, with a particular emphasis on digital technology governance through the standardization of quantum-safe algorithms. Dr. Csenkey also holds postdoctoral fellowships with the Canadian Maritime Security Network and the Centre for International Governance Innovation Digital Policy Hub where she examines how cooperating democratic states manage policy challenges posed by the interconnections between quantum technologies, sovereignty, and security.

Her research has been published in leading journals and outlets, including the Journal of Cybersecurity, Canadian Foreign Policy Journal, Canadian Naval Review, War on the Rocks, and Le Rubicon. Dr. Csenkey’s doctoral research explored the intricate relationship between humans, technology, and cyber, culminating in the development of a comprehensive framework for cybersecurity governance. In addition, she leads multiple Department of National Defence-funded grant projects through the Mobilizing Insights in Defence and Security program, advancing innovative social science research on quantum technologies, connected aviation systems, and cyber-resilient electric vehicles.

Dr. Csenkey frequently lends her expertise to various panels and policy discussions that influence key decision-makers in Canadian federal government departments, military task forces, and parliamentary groups, as well as international think tanks. She has been invited to deliver expert testimonies before parliamentary committees in the Canadian Senate and House of Commons, and her insights have been featured on national TV and radio platforms, including CBC and CTV News. 

Dr. Csenkey is proud to have received numerous academic scholarships and awards, including a SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship, Ontario Graduate Scholarship, and a Mitacs Accelerate Fellowship. She was named a Women in International Security Emerging Thought Leader in Digital Security and her professional contributions were recognized by the Women in Defence and Security Canada–Canadian Global Affairs Institute Fellowship award. Additionally, she holds fellowship positions with the Research Institute for Sociotechnical Cyber Security, the North American and Arctic Defence and Security Network, and the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. Dr. Csenkey holds H.B.Sc., M.A., M.A.P., and a Ph.D. in Global Governance degrees from Canadian academic institutions.