Catherine Menon

Dr Catherine Menon is a Reader in the Department of Computer Science, School of Physics, Engineering & Computer Science at the University of Hertfordshire. She specialises in the ethics, safety, security and trustworthiness of AI-enabled systems, particularly assistive and rehabilitative robotics, and contributes actively to international robotics standards.

Research Interests

Menon’s work sits at the intersection of computer science, philosophy and engineering. She investigates how ethical hazards emerge in public-facing AI and how rigorous design can mitigate them. Her recent focus is the interplay between safety, security, ethical and trust requirements in assistive robots used in health and social care. She also explores creative approaches to assurance arguments for safety-critical autonomous systems.

She has applied these interests in defence, nuclear and healthcare domains and holds leadership roles on several British and international standards committees (BSI AMT/10, ISO/TC 299, IEEE P7009, IET Safety & Security Code of Practice).

Grants & Projects

• STRAWMAN (PI) – UKRI-funded scoping study for an industry safety standard for assistive robots in health and social care (2024-2025).
• CuPick (Co-I) – Innovate UK / Glinwell joint project developing robotic cucumber harvesting systems (2019-2022).
• SocCred (PI) – 5-month feasibility study on safety and social credibility of assistive robots (2019).

Standards & Professional Service

• Member, BSI AMT/10 & AMT/10/1 – UK expert input to ISO/TC 299 (robotics standardisation).
• Member, IEEE P7009 Working Group – fail-safe design of autonomous systems.
• Founding member, Safety of Autonomous Systems Working Group.
• Programme Committee member, International Cross-Industry Safety Committee.

Dr Menon has authored over 45 peer-reviewed articles and is regularly invited to speak on AI ethics and safety.