Heike Hofmann

Heike Hofmann is a Professor in the Department of Statistics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her research spans statistical visualization, forensic data analysis, and machine learning applications in crime scene evidence evaluation. Key contributions include developing interactive frameworks for forensic bullet comparisons, advancing reproducibility in toolmark analysis, and creating explainable machine learning pipelines.

• Email: hhofmann4@unl.edu

Research Interests focus on:

• Visual statistical inference and human factors in data interpretation
• 3D imaging and algorithmic matching for firearms/toolmark identification
• Psychometrics and mixed-effects modeling
• Open-source software development for statistical analysis (e.g., R packages)

Recent Work Trends (2021-2025) emphasize:

• Forensic error rate quantification
• Interactive visualization tools (e.g., ggplot2 extensions)
• Machine learning integration in forensic science
• Large-scale data graphics validation for public understanding
• Automated matching algorithms for bullets/cartridge cases