Forensic Data Science Laboratory

About

The Forensic Data Science Laboratory conducts research to develop methods for evaluation of forensic evidence that are based on relevant data, quantitative measurements, and statistical models; methods that:

  • are transparent and reproducible;
  • are intrinsically resistant to cognitive bias;
  • use the logically correct framework for interpretation of evidence (the likelihood-ratio framework); and
  • are empirically validated under casework conditions.


In order to develop methods that provide solutions for real forensic-evaluation problems, solutions that have a high probability of actually being adopted in casework, members of the Laboratory conduct research in collaboration with researchers and practitioners who have expertise in particular branches of forensic science.

Members of the Laboratory also conduct research on calibration and validation of forensic-evaluation systems, and on communication of forensic science to courts, research whose results are applicable across many branches of forensic science.

In addition to research, members of the Laboratory provide training in forensic inference and statistics to forensic practitioners and to lawyers, and contribute to the development of standards and guidelines for forensic science.

For more information about the lab's activities, please visit the Forensic Data Science Laboratory website.

Our People

AIFL Members
Dr Geoffrey Stewart Morrison
Director of the Forensic Data Science Laboratory
Email: g.s.morrison@aston.ac.uk		Dr Philip Weber 
Lecturer in Computer Science
Email: p.weber1@aston.ac.uk
Honorary and Adjunct Staff
Dr Rachel Bolton-King
Associate Professor of Forensic Science, Department of Criminal Justice and Forensic Science, Staffordshire University		Dr Rolf Ypma
Forensic Data Scientist, Netherlands Forensic Institute
Dr Ewald Enzinger
Senior Research Engineer, Eduworks Corporation		Prof Cuiling Zhang
Director, Chongqing Institutes of Higher Education Key Forensic Science Laboratory
Dr Claudia Rosas
Associate Professor, Instituto de Lingüística y Literatura, Universidad Austral de Chile		 
Advisory Board Members
Prof. Dr. Didier Meuwly
Professor, Department of Data Management & Biometrics, University of Twente		 

 

Projects

The following research and development projects are in progress or under development.

Calibration and Validation of Forensic-Evaluation Systems
  • methods for calculation of likelihood ratios
  • empirical calibration of forensic-comparison systems
  • empirical validation of forensic-comparison systems

 

E3 Forensic-Speech-Science System (E3FS3)

 

  • standards, guidelines, and standard operating procedures
  • data-collection protocols and software
  • open-code software tools based on state-of-the-art automatic-speaker-recognition technology
  • library of validation reports
  • training for practitioners
Speaker Recognition / Speaker Identification by Human Listeners
  • speaker recognition by earwitnesses
  • speaker identification by judges and juries
Firearms
  • comparison of fired cartridge cases
  • data collection
  • development and validation of feature-based methods for calculation of likelihood ratios
Forensic Anthropology
  • development and validation of methods for calculation of likelihood ratios

 

Cell-Site Analysis
  • data collection
  • development and validation of methods for calculation of likelihood ratios
Fingerprints
  • data collection
  • development and validation of forensic-data-science methods for comparison of fingerprints and fingermarks
  • training for practitioners application for research funding under development
Communicating Forensic Science
  • understanding of likelihood ratios by legal-decision makers
  • understanding of validation by legal-decision makers
Authorship Attribution
  • development and validation of methods for calculation of likelihood ratios