Abstract:

This talk describes how the NIST Information Technology Laboratory’s (ITL’s) unique mission and expertise in computer science, mathematics and statistics can be applied to improving forensic science. Strategic research directions will be provided that may result in improving the scientific, measurement and statistical foundations that underlie forensic methods, standards, practices, and technologies, resulting in greater reliability, accuracy, validity and throughput of forensic analyses.
 
The following strategic forensic science research challenges may be addressed by ITL:
•             Scientific underpinnings
•             Statistical foundations
•             Validation studies
•             Human bias and error
•             Computing technologies and reference data
•             Usability
•             Interoperability
The forensic science research performed by NIST ITL focuses on four critical themes:
•             Image and pattern analysis
•             Measurement and uncertainty
•             Interoperability of forensic data
•             Automated forensic technologies

Bio:

Dr. Martin Herman is Senior Advisor for Forensics and IT in the Information Technology Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). He is responsible for coordinating and expanding a comprehensive program that applies innovations in computer science, math and statistics to advance measurements and standards for forensic sciences. Current focus areas include human identification (fingerprints, face recognition, speaker recognition); digital forensics (computer forensics, mobile device forensics, cloud forensics); and multimedia forensics (video, audio, images). Previously, he was Chief of the Information Access Division at NIST, where he was responsible for the Division’s program in research, measurements, testing, and standards in information access technologies, including speech processing and human language technologies, multimedia information access, information retrieval, image and video processing technologies, biometrics, visualization and usability testing, human-computer interfaces, and smart spaces.

Host:

Dr. Arun Ross