Katherine Lavery - BSc (Hons) Cyber Security
A mature student from Arbroath, Katherine had long put her educational aspirations on hold while raising a family and moving around the UK as part of a military household. When her family finally put down roots, she seized the exciting, albeit daunting, opportunity to pursue a new career path studying Cyber Security at RGU.
“After running my own business and travelling around the UK, I was ready for a new challenge that offered more intellectual engagement and long-term growth. I had always been fascinated by the role technology plays in society and recognised the growing need to protect it.
“It’s a career where curiosity, critical thinking and ethical decision-making are essential, something which suits me perfectly.”
What Katherine has achieved in her four years at RGU is nothing short of remarkable and truly reflects her dedication to her studies. Along the way, she has also had to deal with a heartbreaking family loss, which has only further inspired her to fulfil her ambitions.
“I’m incredibly proud to be graduating with a first-class honours. My time at RGU has been both academically rigorous and personally transformative. I achieved A grades across every subject in my final year, which reflects the commitment I brought to every aspect of my studies.
“This achievement carries even more meaning after losing my dad last year. Reaching this milestone without him has been emotional, but I know he would have been incredibly proud. I also wouldn’t have made it through the toughest days without the unwavering support of my supervisor and personal tutor. Their encouragement, guidance and belief in me made a lasting difference.
“I was honoured to receive the School of Computing, Engineering and TechnologyAcademic Achievement Award, the Staff Choice Award for my honours project poster at the RGU Degree Show (which will be displayed in the school for the next academic year) and a Student Union Recognition Award for my contributions to the RGU Computing Society. These moments were incredibly rewarding and reinforced how far I’ve come - not just academically, but personally.”
With a demanding academic and personal life, Katherine found great support and guidance from the Employability team, including CV advice to help prepare for graduate applications.
“I’m applying for graduate cyber security roles, with a particular interest in digital forensics, threat intelligence and privacy engineering. Long term, I’d like to contribute to securing national infrastructure or supporting public sector cyber resilience.
“I’m also passionate about supporting diversity in the industry and would love to be part of initiatives such as Empowering Women to Lead Cyber Security, helping amplify underrepresented voices and inspire more women to pursue leadership in STEM.”
Looking back at her time at RGU, Katherine has some standout moments that helped shape her experience.
“I developed a privacy-first facial recognition system called FROST, designed to help schools manage the risks of unauthorised image sharing. The project involved working with biometric data in a way that prioritised security, ethics, and GDPR compliance. It allowed me to bring together my interests in cybersecurity, APls, and privacy while tackling a real-world issue.
“I was part of the team that organised RGU Hack 2025, a major student-led tech event that brought together over 250 participants. It was a brilliant opportunity to engage with industry, lead on logistics and give back to the computing community. I was inspired to join the team following my participation in the challenge in 2023, where I won in the ‘Most Creative’ category.
“During my time on the course, I served as Class Representative and was invited to represent mature students specifically, something which was a real honour. In third year, I worked as a Student Ambassador, promoting RGU to prospective students and supporting university events both internally and externally.”
The enthusiasm for her studies has translated into some outstanding results, something she attributes to her academic school as she takes the next steps in her career.
“The support and expertise of the School of Computing, Engineering and Technology was exceptional — from introductory modules like ‘Introduction to Computing’ in first year to the final stages of building a fully functional, cyber-secure application that addresses real-world challenges.
“The teaching staff gave me both technical skills and the confidence to grow independently. The combination of hands-on labs, academic guidance, and real-world project opportunities has left me feeling genuinely prepared to step into the cybersecurity industry.
“I hope my journey inspires other women in STEM and those considering a bold change — it's never too late to start, and every challenge can become your strength.”