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Staff Profile

Becca Owens

Postdoctoral Researcher in Digital Policy

  • Email: becca.owens@ncl.ac.uk
  • Address: Newcastle Law School
    19-24 Windsor Terrace
    Newcastle University
    NE1 7RU
Background

Dr Rebecca Owens is a Research Associate on the EPSRC-funded AGENCY project at Newcastle University. On this project, she collaborates with a cross-functional team to advise on digital policies, conduct empirical and socio-technical research, and develop new legal technology to empower users. She has a PhD in intellectual property and competition law from the University of Liverpool, where she also earned her LLM (with distinction) and LLB (honours) and received several awards for her research.


Dr Owens joined Newcastle Law School in September 2022, bringing a passion for mixed methods research. Her research has been supported by several highly competitive scholarships and funding totalling over £100,000. Highlights include:


  • John Lennon Memorial Scholarship from the University of Liverpool fully funded her master's research.
  • Sir Joseph Rotblat Alumni Scholarship for the University of Liverpool to fully fund her doctoral research.
  • Funds for Women Graduates Main Foundation Award to support her doctoral research.
  • ESRC Impact Acceleration Award to further develop a financial inclusion product.


Recognised as a rising star in socio-technical cyber security, Rebecca holds a Research Institute of Socio-Technical Cyber Security Associate Fellowship and is a former Newcastle University Policy Academy Fellow.

Research

Research Overview


Dr. Rebecca Owens' research advocates for strengthening digital citizen agency by examining the intersection of law and emerging technologies. Employing a mixed-methods approach, her work explores how policy can address complex online harms.


A Pioneering Approach: Dr Owens employs a cutting-edge socio-technical methodologies and empirical research to bridge the gap between legal theory and practice. This innovative approach drives her work in critical areas such as cyber law, privacy, and, more recently, financial inclusion. This expertise has led to her recognition as a rising star in socio-technical cybersecurity research by the Research Institute of Socio-Technical Cyber-Security.


Significant Impact: Rebecca's impact is reflected in her peer-reviewed publications, invited talks, and over £100,000 of research funding. Selected highlights include:


  • Working with Newcastle University School of Computing to create new technologies designed to enhance digital agency.
  • Leading a multidisciplinary team in the FCA's Financial Inclusion TechSprint.
  • Coordinating an ESRC Festival of Social Science event in collaboration with Newcastle City Library to empower users with their informational rights.





 

Publications