About
Tim Grant is a Professor and Director of the Aston Institute for Forensic Linguistics at Aston University. He also serves as Director of Research Impact for the School of Languages and Social Sciences. His expertise lies in forensic linguistics, particularly forensic authorship analysis of short-form digital communications like SMS and social media. Grant has provided evidence in criminal, civil, and commercial cases, and contributed to major investigations such as the Matthew Falder case, earning an NCA Commendation in 2019.
Qualifications include a BA in Philosophy, MSc in Cognitive Science, and PhD in Linguistics (authorship attribution in forensic contexts). His research spans forensic authorship analysis, online sexual abuse, threatening communication, and non-verbal consent in rape cases. He teaches modules like 'Language as Evidence' and 'Practical Applications in Forensic Linguistics.'
- Research interests: Forensic authorship analysis, online sexual crime, malicious communication analysis
- Supervised over 12 PhDs on topics including forensic linguistics and online crime
- Public engagement: BBC Crimewatch, Café Scientifique, British Festival of Science
Awards include the Joseph Lister Award Lecture (2008) and NCA Commendation (2019). He collaborates with law enforcement on dark web investigations and AI-assisted decision-making tools.
