Interview with Joslyn Knaap – Student placement on the DONE project

We recently met with Joslyn Knaap a student of International Relations at Exeter University. 

Joslyn is on a student placement for the DONE project and shares with us her thoughts about the world of telecoms and how she hopes the DONE can impact rural connectivity in a positive way. 

Can you tell us a bit about your background?

I’m currently study International Relations at Exeter University. 

I’m particularly interested in diplomacy and the interactions between nations. Through my course I started to get interested in cyber security and have enjoyed learning more on that through the DONE project.

Telecoms wasn’t on my radar at all at first, but I’ve found it fascinating as I’ve learned more about it.

How did you come to be involved in the DONE project? 

My involvement in the DONE project began after my dad, who works in telecoms introduced me to Dave Happy a key consultant on the DONE project. Dave had been a mentor for another student who shadowed on the 5G Rural Dorset project and was happy to become my mentor for DONE which has been brilliant. 

I attended a conference in March with Dave where I met the rest of the project consortium team. I was quite surprised when attending the conference as I suddenly felt like the only woman in a very male dominated industry. It was a bit overwhelming and made me feel underqualified at first. However, I really felt that I wanted to be there and the content was incredibly interesting.  I had never realised how intriguing telecoms could be. I’ve been shadowing and learning a lot. I feel there is a lot of space in telecoms for new ideas fresh approaches’, it’s exciting.

What made you want to get involved in the project?

I wanted to be part of the DONE project because I find the cybersecurity and it’s cross overs with international relations fascinating. One of the key research areas for DONE is around improving security of the telecom’s networks.

The project also offers a unique opportunity to understand the complexities of partnership working in local government and sustainable rural development in telecoms.

What are you hoping to gain from this experience? 

I hope to gain a deeper understanding of how private companies and government departments work together. I’d also love to learn all I can from this project about making our telecoms network more secure, it’s fascinating to me quite how many threats happen daily. 

I’m also keen to understand and learn as much as I can about the challenges and solutions in rural connectivity and sustainable development, it’s interesting to see how starkly the access to digital changes in more rural areas and we run the risk of keeping people isolated and digitally excluded if we don’t address this and develop solutions for change.  

How reliant are you on your connectivity for your degree? 

Connectivity is crucial for my degree, especially for accessing online resources, attending virtual lectures, and conducting research. Reliable internet access is totally essential for my academic success.

Do you live rurally, can you relate to the issues caused? 

Well, I am currently studying in Exeter, which is more rural compared to my hometown in Surrey, I have experienced the challenges of poor connectivity firsthand. The difference in signal strength and transport reliability has been so notable. 

What do you hope will be the real-world impacts from the findings in this project? 

I hope the findings from the DONE project will lead to improved connectivity in rural areas, making them more sustainable and better connected. 
This would greatly benefit communities by enhancing access to digital services and reducing the digital divide.

What are you hoping to do once you graduate? 

Initially, I wanted to pursue a career in diplomacy, either as a UK diplomat or working for the UN.  Technology wasn’t on my radar because I was more into writing and less comfortable with things tech. However, after taking a module in security studies that focused on cyber issues, I found it fascinating and saw a future in it, especially with the rise of AI. Post-graduation, I aimed to join the civil service through a fast stream program, which includes sectors like cybersecurity and diplomatic studies.  I’m still interested in both fields, but cybersecurity has become a significant focus for me. 

You can hear more from Joslyn as she’s been writing a blog for us to accompany her work on the DONE project, focusing on her experiences in the project as well as venturing into the telecoms world as a young female student.