Funded PhD Project in Forensic Person De-identification

About the Project

These three projects are part of a Themed Doctoral Programme (TDP) in the newly established Forensic Research institute (FORRI) at Liverpool John Moores University. The TDP includes high performing research groups and international partners with craniofacial, digital data analysis and human identification research strands, and is led by Prof Caroline Wilkinson, Director of FORRI and a chartered forensic practitioner with experience over 30 years.

The TDP focus is to ensure the diversity and inclusivity of forensic research, especially important given its tie to the criminal justice system, and the increasingly global nature of crime across many sectors. The FORRI team has experience in the forensic science industry and the complexities of developing and validating novel methods for application in criminal casework. A network of collaborators spanning the entire pipeline of forensic analysis will be utilized to provide work-based learning opportunities where appropriate.

This project aims to create novel AI and digital data analysis technologies and protocols to address person de-identification in visual data. Concealing personal identities in visual data has become a challenging problem due to the growing demands of data privacy protection and related regulations. This issue has prompted the government authorities to pledge their commitment to investigate these challenges, especially in relation to policing and body-worn cameras footage. This project is designed for integration into law enforcement and forensic investigation processes, while carefully assessing their effects on gender and ethnically diverse communities. The proposed supervisory team is diverse and interdisciplinary (AI & Deep Learning, AR/VR, Policing and Contextual modelling) and the lead supervisor has established a working relationship with the related industry, providing further support throughout the programme in relation to impact and dissemination.

Additional subject specific training and opportunities include:

• International mobility and study visits during the period of research.
• Comprehensive transferable skills development programme from the university’s Researcher Development Programme.
• Coaching and/or mentoring support.
• Additional subject-specific training relevant to the research project.

Applicant requirements include a first degree and master’s degree in a relevant subject (e.g. computing, computer vision, computer science) and specific knowledge or experience of working with Artificial Intelligence (machine learning), data science and time series data analysis are desirable. Applicants from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply and this TDP is open to international students with IELTS 6.5 or equivalent. ATAS may also be required depending on the country of origin of the applicant.

Subject Areas:

Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Person De-identification, Digital Data Examination

For an informal discussion about this opportunity please email W.Khan@ljmu.ac.uk for more information.

Applicants should email a CV, covering letter detailing their suitability for the project and contact details of two referees to: FORRI@ljmu.ac.uk

Applicants must be available for an online interview on 5th January 2024.

Funding Notes

Students can expect a fully-funded three-year PhD scholarship, comprising:

• Annual full-time study fees
• An annual full-time stipend (£18622 per annum in 2023/24, rising in line with UKRI rates) paid in monthly instalments for full-time study
• A contribution towards running costs (£1600 per annum)

More info here (please copy link into your browser): https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/towards-a-fully-autonomous-non-restraining-non-invasive-person-de-identification-and-privacy-protection-in-realistic-environments/?p164762