PhD Studentship: Enhanced Eyewitness ID Predicting and Optimising ID Accuracy Through Behavioural Analysis

The Centre for National Training and Research Excellence in Understanding Behaviour (Centre-UB) is inviting applications for a Doctoral Studentship in association with our collaborative partner Promat to start in October 2026.

Accurate eyewitness identification is critical for criminal investigations and public safety. Yet, despite major advances in psychological science, police lineup procedures have changed little in over a century. Most forces still rely on static photographs, and methods that struggle to capture the conditions under which crimes actually occur, such as poor lighting, variable viewpoints, and the use of disguises.

This interdisciplinary PhD offers an exciting opportunity to help modernise eyewitness identification by combining cognitive psychology, immersive technology, and artificial intelligence. The project will test participant witnesses using a mock witness paradigm. Witnesses will be able to adjust lighting, toggle disguise features, and control viewing angle during lineups, creating a memory-congruent identification environment. The project will examine whether these reinstatement opportunities improve accuracy relative to standard, non-adaptive lineups, and how witnesses naturally explore faces under these conditions.

A core innovation of the project is the integration of behavioural data with AI. The student will analyse eye movements, exploration patterns, and verbal reports to develop computational models that predict identification reliability. They will learn to design interpretable, legally robust AI systems, including attention-based deep learning models and reinforcement learning approaches that adapt lineup presentation in real time based on witness behaviour.

A defining feature of the project is close collaboration with Promat, the leading provider of police lineup software in the UK. Through this partnership, the student will gain first-hand experience working with real operational systems, understanding industry constraints, and contributing to research with direct pathways to deployment in policing practice. Joint supervision from Psychology and Computer Science will ensure strong interdisciplinary support while bridging academic research and industry innovation.

We are looking for a highly talented and dedicated PhD student with a 1st class or 2:1 degree in the field of Psychology, Cognitive Science, Computer Science, Neuroscience, Data Science, or an allied field. An MSc degree in a relevant area is desirable though not necessary. Experience in coding (e.g., Python/R/Matlab) and experience in behavioural experimentation, statistics, or machine learning is desirable but full training will be provided. Applicants with an interest in human perception, AI ethics, or forensic science are also encouraged.

To be considered for this PhD, please follow the instructions, click the 'Apply' button above. 

Application deadline: February 17 2026

Interviews for this studentship are expected to take place on March 20 2026.

Centre-UB studentships cover tuition fees, a maintenance stipend, support for research training, as well as research activity support grants. Due to funding stipulations set by UKRI, we are able to recruit up to 30% of international applicants to the cohort each year. You can find further details at https://www.centre-ub.org/studentships/call-for-applicants/

Informal enquiries about the project prior to application can be directed to Professor Heather Flowe (h.flowe@bham.ac.uk).

Funding notes:
Centre-UB studentships cover tuition fees, a maintenance stipend, support for research training, as well as research activity support grants. Due to funding stipulations set by UKRI, we are able to recruit up to 30% of international applicants to the cohort each year. You can find further details at https://www.centre-ub.org/studentships/call-for-applicants/

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