معرفی
Maria Cuellar is an Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, holding joint appointments in the Department of Criminology, Department of Statistics and Data Science, and Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics. Her work bridges statistics and law, focusing on causal inference and the statistical foundations of forensic science.
- Education: PhD in Statistics and Public Policy (2017), MPhil in Public Policy (2016), MS in Statistics (2015) from Carnegie Mellon University; BA in Physics (2009) from Reed College.
Her research in causal inference addresses legal questions like determining causation in toxic torts and shaken baby syndrome cases. She developed a robust influence-function-based method for estimating probabilities of causation without strict parametric assumptions. In forensic science, she investigates issues like toolmark analysis validity, contextual bias, and facial recognition accuracy in law enforcement.
Dr. Cuellar’s publications highlight her focus on improving statistical rigor in forensic disciplines. Recent work includes probabilistic models for contextual bias, critiques of black-box firearm comparison studies, and algorithmic approaches to toolmark identification. Her interdisciplinary methodology combines machine learning and nonparametric estimation techniques.
She serves as an expert witness and consultant in legal trials, translating complex statistical concepts for lay audiences. Affiliated with organizations like CSAFE, Quattrone Center, and Penn Center for Causal Inference, she advocates for evidence-based practices in criminal justice. Her personal life includes being a mother of twins and being married to philosopher Justin Humphreys.
