Skyfall International Academy

Faculty & Staff

At Skyfall International Academy, our greatest asset is not our architecture, but our minds. We have curated a faculty that is intentionally international. In an era of isolationism, we look outward. Our teaching staff comprises distinguished fellows, industry practitioners, and active researchers who have chosen the quietude of the Hampshire/Wiltshire border over the noise of the metropolis.

Below you will find the profiles of our senior academic leads.

School of Computer Science & AI

Dr. Valter Kask Head of Computing Faculty / Senior Lecturer in Cybersecurity

A stoic figure in our corridors, Dr. Kask joins us from a distinguished background in the Estonian digital infrastructure sector. His teaching style is rigorous and old-school; he insists that students understand the assembly language beneath the code before they are allowed to touch high-level libraries. He leads the “Secure Systems” module for the Undergraduate programme.

  • Credentials: PhD in Cryptography, University of Tartu; MSc in Network Defence.
  • Specialism: Legacy System Security, Blockchain in Supply Chains.
  • Selected Publications:
    • Kask, V. & Melnyk, A. (2024). The Fragility of the IoT: A Protocol Analysis. Journal of Network Security, 19(2), 112-145. doi:10.1093/jns/2024.004
    • Kask, V. (2022). Refactoring the Monolith: Securing Banking Infrastructure in Emerging Markets. Tallinn Technical Press. ISBN: 978-9949-01-22

Mme. Mireille Vautier Lecturer in Intelligent Systems & Ethics

Mireille brings a necessary philosophical edge to our coding labs. Originally from the French-speaking canton of Jura in Switzerland, she specialises in the intersection of AI and human sociology. She runs the popular Sixth Form “Code & Conscience” seminar and is the lead investigator at our Centre for Ethical AI. She is known for her energetic, debate-heavy seminars where screens are often turned off in favour of whiteboards.

  • Credentials: MSc Cognitive Systems, EPFL Lausanne; BA Philosophy.
  • Specialism: Algorithmic Bias, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI).
  • Selected Publications:
    • Vautier, M. (2025, In Press). Echo Chambers in Rural Digital Communities. Proceedings of the Hampshire Tech Symposium.
    • Vautier, M. (2023). When the Machine Hallucinates: Liability in Generative Models. European Law & Tech Review, 8(4).

Mr. Ilias Panagiotopoulos Technical Lead & Robotics Instructor

Ilias is rarely found in an office; he is usually in the hardware lab. A hands-on engineer from Thessaloniki, Greece, he bridges the gap between software and hardware. He mentors the Robotics Club and teaches the Year 1 “Embedded Systems” module. His approach is “break it to learn it.”

  • Credentials: MEng Electrical Engineering, Aristotle University.
  • Specialism: Micro-controllers, Drone Swarm Logic.
  • Recent Output:
    • Panagiotopoulos, I. (2023). Low-Latency Communication in Agricultural Drones. (Conference Paper), AgriTech UK 2023.

Faculty of Art, Design & Architecture

Prof. Liesbet van den Berghe Dean of Arts / Studio Lead (Architecture)

Prof. van den Berghe brings the disciplined minimalism of Flemish design to Ludgershall. Formerly a practicing architect in Antwerp, she shifted to academia to explore sustainable rural housing. She is a demanding critic who expects students to treat their sketchbooks as legal documents of their creative process. She oversees the “Sustainable Materiality Lab.”

  • Credentials: MArch, KU Leuven; Member of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
  • Specialism: Adaptive Reuse of Heritage Buildings, Sustainable Cladding.
  • Selected Publications:
    • van den Berghe, L. (2021). Bricks and Mortar, Flesh and Bone: The Psychology of Space. Architectural Theory Review, 34(1), pp. 45-60.
    • van den Berghe, L. (2024). Bioplastics in English Vernacular Architecture. Design Studies Quarterly. doi:10.1016/j.destud.2024.01

Tiago de Souza Senior Tutor: Visual Communication

Tiago is a visual artist from Porto, Portugal, whose work blends traditional lithography with digital glitch art. He teaches the A-Level Portfolio course and the Undergraduate “Visual Narratives” module. He is particularly skilled at helping students find their unique “visual voice” and is known for staying late in the studios to help students prepare for the London degree show.

  • Credentials: MA Fine Art Printmaking, University of Porto.
  • Specialism: Hybrid Media, Typography, Zine Culture.
  • Exhibitions & Print:
    • de Souza, T. (2023). Static/Noise. [Solo Exhibition]. The Spitfire Gallery, Andover.
    • Featured in: New European Graphic Design (Taschen, 2022).

School of Economics & Global Finance

Dr. Hannelore Wulff Reader in Macroeconomics

Dr. Wulff is a formidable presence in the Economics faculty. With a background in the German banking sector (Frankfurt), she has little patience for vague theories. She teaches “Monetary Policy” and “Quantitative Methods.” Her exams are legendary among undergraduates for their difficulty, but her alumni frequently credit her rigour for their success in the City of London.

  • Credentials: Dr. rer. pol. (Economics), Goethe University Frankfurt.
  • Specialism: Inflationary Dynamics, European Central Bank Policy.
  • Selected Publications:
    • Wulff, H. & Schmidt, T. (2023). The Post-Brexit Fiscal Landscape: A Comparative Study. Journal of Cross-Border Economics, 12(3).
    • Wulff, H. (2020). Austerity and its Discontents: A Decade of Data. Economic Modelling Reports, No. 445.

Laszlo Horváth Lecturer in Financial Mathematics

Laszlo brings a high-intensity mathematical approach to the school. Originally from Budapest, he focuses on the algorithms that drive modern markets. He runs the trading simulation terminal for the Sixth Form and Undergraduate students. He is soft-spoken but incredibly sharp, often spotting errors in student datasets at a glance.

  • Credentials: MSc Actuarial Science, Corvinus University; CFA Charterholder.
  • Specialism: Stochastic Calculus, Derivatives Pricing.
  • Recent Output:
    • Horváth, L. (2024). Predictive Volatility in Low-Volume Markets. Journal of FinTech Engineering, 5(1). doi:10.1109/JFE.2024.88

Department of Pure & Applied Sciences

Dr. Agata Nowakowska Senior Research Fellow (Physics) / Lab Manager

Dr. Nowakowska is an experimental physicist from Kraków, Poland. She manages the primary wet labs and the physics equipment. Her research focuses on condensed matter, specifically how materials behave under extreme stress. She is a mentor for the Skyfall Scholars programme, guiding A-Level students through university-level experiments.

  • Credentials: PhD Physics, Jagiellonian University.
  • Specialism: Condensed Matter Physics, Semi-conductors.
  • Selected Publications:
    • Nowakowska, A. (2023). Tensile Strength Anomalies in Graphene-Coated Polymers. Applied Physics Letters, 99(12).
    • Nowakowska, A. (2021). Lab Safety in the Post-COVID Era. Science Education Review.

Bjørn Eklund Lecturer in Environmental Science & Biology

Bjørn utilizes the surrounding Salisbury Plain as his classroom. A field biologist from rural Sweden, he is rarely seen without his mud-caked boots. He teaches Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. He is passionate about rewilding and leads the student volunteer group that manages the Academy’s own small woodland reserve.

  • Credentials: MSc Ecology, Uppsala University.
  • Specialism: Biodiversity in Calcareous Grasslands, Rewilding Strategies.
  • Recent Output:
    • Eklund, B. (2024). Beetle Diversity in the Hampshire Chalk Downlands. The British Journal of Entomology, 56(4).