Monday 8th September, 12.00-1.00

The BA Joseph Lister Award Lecture

Txt crimes, sex crimes and murder - the science of forensic linguistics

A new forensic science is emerging, one which impacts on crime analysis, surveillance and privacy – that of Forensic Linguistics. New techniques allow us to analyse text messages and identify, with a great degree of accuracy, the gender and age of the sender. In recent high profile cases, language analysis has even helped prosecute the perpetrators of horrific crimes. In this event, Dr Grant will invite audience members to participate in real-time analysis of their messages.

Presented by Dr Tim Grant, Aston University

Biography:

• Senior Lecturer in Forensic Linguistics
  Deputy Director, Centre for Forensic Linguistics
• BA Philosophy with computer science and philosophy
• MSc Cognitive Science
• PhD English - Authorship attribution in a forensic context

Dr Grant is Expert Advisor to the National Police Improvement Agency's Specialist Operations Centre and leads a group developing a linguistics sub-register with the Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners.