It's not an interpretation, it's a suggestion of a more specific (which is what I meant with "refined") idea. Both the article and the linked fellowship description only mention a very broad topic.

A bit like when I tell you that I'm making a salad, and you suggest that I try quinoa.

If you were already making a salad why would I suggest you try a different salad?

Schneier's post only mentions that he is going to work on security, power and technology as research topics. That's quite broad, so I suggested something that may be interesting within that.

So you could have just responded "Yes, I am hoping he will decide to work on these three concepts that I find interesting" to my original question.

Yes, I could, and I meant that when I said that it was a suggestion. I take from this that there is something (unintentionally) ambiguous or misleading in my original post, I'll check that.