This page outlines my professional qualifications.  Please contact me for an up-to-date and detailed version of this document.  

Employment

  • Private consultant in forensic handwriting and document examination, 2018 to present.
  • Canada Border Services Agency (formerly CCRA) in Science and Engineering Directorate (July 2002 to present)
  • R.C.M. Police civilian member, Document Section in the Forensic Services Laboratory in Regina, Saskatchewan (Dec. 1985 to July 2002)

Education & training

  • Honours Bachelor of Arts degree granted November 1981 with Highest Honours in Psychology (Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario)
  • Certificate of Advanced Studies in ‘Statistics and the Evaluation of Forensic Evidence’ completed September 2011 (University of Lausanne, Switzerland)
  • 2-year R.C.M.P. Document Examination understudy training program (1985-87)

Experience

I have been a forensic document examiner for over 35 years.  In that time, I have completed ~900 case examinations with testimony provided multiples times in the jurisdictions of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario in provincial and/or superior court as well as at other judicial proceedings and hearings.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS & ACTIVITIES

  1. Member of the Canadian Society of Forensic Sciences since 1987
  2. Diplomate of American Board of Forensic Document Examiners, Certificate #329 
  3. Member of the International Graphonomics Society
  4. Guest member of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) Forensic Document Examination Subcommittee; 2014 ongoing.
  5. Member of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Expert Working Group on Human Factors in Handwriting Examination; 2015-2018.
  6. Representative for CBSA laboratory with the European Network of Forensic Handwriting Experts (ENFHEX – Associate Member); 2011 ongoing.
  7. Representative for CBSA laboratory with Scientific Working Group for Document Examination (SWGDOC); 2012 ongoing.
  8. Former Member of Executive Council for St2ar (Skill-Task Training Assessment & Research, Inc.) (defunct 2022).

Recent TeachiNg/Workshops given

  1. Workshop: “Evaluative Reporting: Bridging Theory and Practice”, Sept 21, 2022, ENFHEX conference, Zagreb, Croatia (½ day) – co-presented with R. Marquis, E. Kupferschmid, N. Crown, and C. Bird
  2. Workshop: “Examination Basics for PDF Files”, August 12, 2021, ASQDE online conference (1/2 day)
  3. Workshop: “Application of the logical approach to FHE Casework”, May 1, 2018 CSFS Conference, Gatineau, QC (1 day)
  4. Workshop: “Theory of the Logical Approach to Evidence Evaluation”, Apr 30, 2018 CSFS Conference, Gatineau, QC (1 day)
  5. Workshop: “Logical Inference and Evidence Evaluation for QDE”, May 2016, Expert Working Group on Human Factors in Handwriting Examination, Columbia, MD (1 day)
  6. Workshop: “Questioned Documents: Conclusion Scales and Logical Inference (Part 1)”, Aug 2013, ASQDE Conference, Indianapolis, IN (1 day)
  7. Workshop: “Practical Applications of Logical Inference and Reasoning for QDE”, Nov 2012, CSFS QD Workshops, Canadian Police College, Ottawa, ON (1½ days)
  8. Tutorial: “Logical Inference and Evidence Evaluation for QDE”, Oct 2012, FBI Laboratory, QD Section Members (1 day)
  9. Tutorial: “Logical Inference and Evidence Evaluation for QDE”, Oct 2012, SWGDOC (1 day)
  10. Workshop: “Conclusion Scales and Logical Inference – Part 1”, May 2012, CSFS Conference, SFU, Burnaby, BC (2 days)
  11. Advanced Training: “Uses of Write-On2, Photoshop and the Wacom Cintiq Tablet”, Aug. 2009, Netherlands Forensic Institute, NL (4 days)

Recent RESEARCH, PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS

Textbooks/Chapters

  1. Chapter 3: The Logical Approach to Evidence Evaluation, in Forensic Document Examination in the 21st Century. Edited by Miriam Angel and Jan Seaman Kelly. CRC Press, 2020. ISBN: 9781003112228.
  2. Chapter 11: Conclusions, reporting and testimony, co-author in Forensic Examination of Signatures, 1st Ed. by Linton Mohammed. Elsevier Academic Press, 2019. ISBN: 9780128130292. 
  3. Forensic Handwriting Examination and Human Factors: Improving the Practice Through a Systems Approach. Expert Working Group for Human Factors in Handwriting Examination. Various co-authors. U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology. NISTIR 8282. Published February 18, 2020. DOI: 10.6028/NIST.IR.8282

Published Articles

  1. Reply to Response to Vacuous standards – Subversion of the OSAC standards-development process, FSI Synergy, Vol 3, 2021, 100149.  Morrison, GS, Neumann, C, Geoghegan, PH, Edmond, G, Grant, T, Ostrum, RB, Roberts, P, Saks, M, Syndercombe Court, D, Thompson, WC, Zabell, S DOI:10.1016/j.fsisyn.2021.100149
  2. Sequence determination between blue ballpoint pens and toner using Mikrosil™ casting of the intersection, CSFS Journal, Vol. 52, Issue 4, Nov 2019. Co-authors Julie Binette and Andrew Barton. DOI: 10.1080/00085030.2019.1682217
  3. CSFS Document Section Position on the Logical Approach to Evidence Evaluation and Corresponding Wording of Conclusions, CSFS Journal, Vol. 52, Issue 3, July 2019. English (pp. 129-138) and French (pp. 139-149) versions. DOI: 10.1080/00085030.2019.1635736
  4. A comment on the PCAST report: Skip the “match”/”non-match” stage. Morrison, GS, Kaye, DH, Balding, DJ, Taylor, D, Dawid, P, Aitken , CGG, Gittelson, S, Zadora, G, Robertson, B, Willis, S, Pope, S, Neil, M, Martire, KA, Hepler, A, Gill, RD, Jamieson, A, de Zoete, J, Ostrum, RB, Caliebe, A.  For Sci Intl, 2017.
  5. A Canadian perspective on forensic science versus pseudoscience, POMA 19, 060002 (2013).
  6. Online Proficiency Testing for Signature Comparison by Forensic Document Examiners and Non-Examiners, JASQDE, Vol. 14, No. 1, June 2011. Co-authors Lindsay Holmes and Andrew Barton.
  7. Using Photomerge™ for Demonstrative Evidence, JASQDE, Vol. 13, No. 1, June 2010. Co-author Linton Mohammed.
  8. Commentary on: “Sequential unmasking: a means of minimizing observer effects in forensic DNA interpretation”. J Forensic Sci. 2009;54(6):1498-1499
  9. Application of Hyperspectral Imaging to Forensic Document Examination Problems, JASQDE, Vol. 9, No. 2, Dec, 2006.
  10. Another Look at Handwriting Movement, JASQDE, Vol. 9, No. 2, Dec, 2006. Co-author Tobin Tanaka.

Speaking Engagements & Presentations

  1. A discussion of reporting – the most important aspect of our work, presented at the FDE Linked Online Conference, March 31, 2023.
  2. Guest speaker: “Practical elements of Evaluative reporting” presented at the CFS Chemistry Virtual Symposium (online). Centre of Forensic Sciences, Toronto, ON, October 6, 2020
  3. Guest speaker: “Canadian Practitioner perspective on Evaluative reporting: Implementation and Practise” presented at the Evaluative Reporting Symposium. Centre of Forensic Sciences, Toronto, ON, June 18-19, 2019.
  4. Panel discussion: “The logical approach to evidence evaluation and reporting” for the 2016 ASQDE meeting, Pensacola Beach, FL, USA
  5. Panel discussion: “Conclusions… Signature and Handwriting Conclusion Terminology and Scales” for the 2014 ASQDE/ASFDE conference, Hawaii, USA
  6. Proposal for a FHE process map (Based on the Logical Approach and Propositionally-driven), presented at ASQDE, 2019, Cary, NC.
  7. A Review of Recent Forensic Document Examiners Training in North America Relating to the Logical Approach to Evidence Evaluation presented at the 2014 International Conference on Forensic Inference and Statistics meeting, Leiden, Netherlands
  8. Error, Confidence and (Un)certainty – Deconstructing Authorship Opinions Using a Forced-Call Testing Protocol presented at 2013 Measurement Science and Standards in Forensic Handwriting Analysis Conference, NIST-OLES, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
  9. Proficiency Testing Program in the CBSA Forensic Document Section, presented at ENFHEX 2011, Delft, NL.
  10. Sequence determination between blue ballpoint pens and toner using Mikrosil casting of the intersection, presented at ASQDE 2010, Victoria, BC. Co-authors Julie Binette (presenter) and Andrew Barton.
  11. Application of digital signal processing for the numerical characterization and automated recognition of ink toners subjected to Py-GC/MS analysis: a feasibility study, presented at EDEWG 2010, Dubrovnik, Croatia. Co-authors Luc Brazeau (presenter) and Matthew Graydon.
  12. Digital image-processing using the V.I.D.A.S. system for the Examination of Questioned Documents, presented at M.A.F.S, Cleveland, Ohio (1994).

CONFERENCES/Meetings ATTENDED

  1. 2023 FDE Linked Online Conference
  2. 2022 A.S.F.D.E. Inc. Annual Scientific Meeting, Online
  3. 2022 74th A.A.F.S. Conference, Online
  4. 2021 20th EDEWG Business Meeting (Virtual)
  5. 2021 79th A.S.Q.D.E. Virtual Conference
  6. 2021 C.S.F.S. Virtual Conference
  7. 2021 13th ENFHEX Conference and Business Meeting Online
  8. 2021 A.S.F.D.E. Inc. Annual Scientific Meeting, Online
  9. 2021 73rd A.A.F.S. Conference, Online
  10. 2020 78th A.S.Q.D.E. Conference, Online
  11. 2019 77th A.S.Q.D.E. Conference, Cary, North Carolina
  12. 2014 9th Int’l Conference on Forensic Inference and Statistics, Leiden, Netherlands
  13. 2013 71st A.S.Q.D.E. Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana
  14. 2013 Measurement Science and Standards in Forensic Handwriting Analysis Conference, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Law Enforcements Standards Office
  15. 2012 6th European Academy of Forensic Sciences, The Hague, Netherlands
  16. 2012 C.S.F.S. Conference, SFU, Burnaby, BC
  17. 2011 8th Int’l Conference on Forensic Inference and Statistics, Seattle, Washington
  18. 2011 ENFHEX Conference and Business Meeting, Delft, NL
  19. 2010 Nat’l Institute of Justice Impression & Pattern Evidence Symposium, Clearwater, Florida
  20. 2009 3rd Int’l Workshop on Computational Forensics, The Hague, Netherlands
  21. 2008 7th Int’l Conference on Forensic Inference and Statistics, Lausanne, Switzerland
  22. 2007 IS&T NIP23 Conference, Anchorage, Alaska
  23. 2007 Electronic Imaging, Science and Technology Conference, San Jose, California
  24. 2006 CSFS-CIS Conference, Windsor, Ontario
  25. 2005 A.S.Q.D.E. Conference, Montreal, Quebec
  26. 2003 IS&T NIP19 Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana
  27. 2003 A.A.F.S. 55th Annual Conference, Chicago, Illinois
  28. 1997 C.S.F.S. Conference, Regina, Saskatchewan
  29. 1994 Mid-western Association of Forensic Scientists, Cleveland, Ohio
  30. 1990 C.S.F.S. Conference, Ottawa, Ontario

Recent ADDITIONAL TRAINING

  1. Neuroscience of Handwriting; Genuine, Disguised, and Simulated Signatures. Linton Mohammed (CBSA, Ottawa, 2023)
  2. Demonstrative Evidence in the Courtroom, M. Merlino, T. Tanaka, S. Ibrahim. (ASQDE, online 2021)
  3. Pressure Training Calibration Workshop for Digitally Captured Signatures, N. Kalantzis (ASQDE, online 2021)
  4. Training on the Analysis, Comparison & Evaluation of Digitally Captured Signatures (ENFHEX, online 2021)
  5. Complete Introduction to Digitally Captured Signatures (DCS) and a Tutorial for Namirial’s Firma Certa Forensic Analysis Tool (Workshop 8), N. Kalantzis (AAFS, online 2021)
  6. Technology and Design of Security Documents for Counterfeiting and Alteration Resistance (Workshop 16), D. Ryan and J. Zlotnick (AAFS, online 2021)
  7. Overview Digital Exam. Techniques & Remote Case Review, M. Goff (ASQDE, online 2020)
  8. Opinion Measurement Workshop, M. Merlino, V. Dahir, C. Edwards, S. Ibrahim, and J. Jackson-Morris (ASQDE, online 2020)
  9. Minimizing Bias in Forensic Decision Making (Concept Training online, 2020)
  10. Non-Destructive Ink Examination, P. Tytell, D. Hammond and L. Mohammed (ASQDE, 2019)
  11. Writing on Unusual Surfaces, P. Belcastro and G. Mokrzycki (ASQDE, 2019)
  12. Indentation Sequencing Workshop, B. Lindblom (Ottawa, 2019)
  13. Faxes: Forensic Examination Workshop, B. Lindblom (Ottawa, 2019)
  14. Individuality of Inkjet Printing, R. Fauser and T. Rottes, Landeskriminalamt (Ottawa, 2015)
  15. Examination of Skillfully Executed Simulated Signatures, Dr. L. Mohammed (Ottawa, 2015)
  16. Forensic Examination of Digital Signatures, W. Flynn and K.A. Nicolaides (ASQDE, 2013)
  17. Challenging Signatures, A.F. Hicks (ASQDE, 2013)
  18. Typography workshop, P. Tytell (CSFS Workshop, Ottawa 2012)
  19. Uncertainty, Probability and Statistics workshop (IPES, 2010)
  20. The use of Bayesian Networks in Forensic Science workshop (ICFIS, 2008)
  21. Mathworks Matlab ML-01: Matlab Fundamentals and Programming Techniques (2008)
  22. Mathworks Matlab ST-01: Statistical Methods in Matlab (2008)
  23. Mathworks Matlab IP-01: Matlab for Image Processing (2008)
  24. IS&T Tutorial #T04: Papermaking, Coating Fund, & Media for Digital Printing (2007)
  25. IS&T Tutorial #T11: Image Science and Image Quality Seminar (2007)
  26. IS&T Tutorial #T15: The Top-Ten Myths of Digital Color Management (2007)
  27. Forgery Science Workshop by Dr. B. Found, Latrobe Univ. (Ottawa, 2007)
  28. SPIE Tutorial #SC804: Intro to Stats for Imaging (Jan 2007)
  29. SPIE Tutorial #SC805: Principles of Multivariate Stats for Imaging (Jan 2007)
  30. SPIE Tutorial #SC806: Adv. Multivariate Stats for Imaging (Jan 2007)
  31. SPIE Tutorial #SC814: Image Processing, Understanding, and the Analysis of Master Drawings and Paintings (Jan 2007)
  32. Disguised/Forged Signature Workshop by Dr. B. Found, Latrobe Univ. (Ottawa, 2006)
  33. A.B.F.D.E. workshops: Authentication of Documents, ABFDE Pilot Test Program, Duplicate Stamps (Nov 6-8, 2006)
  34. A.B.F.D.E. seminar: “Paradigm Shift in Forensic Sciences” (Nov 9-10, 2006)
  35. A.S.Q.D.E. CEDAR-Fox (Computer Analysis of Handwriting) workshop (2005)
  36. A.S.Q.D.E. Print Quality Measurement and Analysis workshop (2005)
  37. Horiba XGT-5000 X-ray Microscope user training (2004)
  38. Soft Imaging System AnalySIS software training course (2004)
  39. A.B.F.D.E. workshops: Checkwashing Techniques, Facsimile Examinations, Adobe Photoshop methods, Rubber Stamp Examinations, QD Reasoning Process, Multi-faceted Examinations (Oct 26-28, 2004)
  40. A.B.F.D.E. seminar: “Comparative Science in the Daubert World” (Oct 29-30, 2004)
  41. IS&T Tutorial #T02: Introduction to Electrophotography (2003)
  42. IS&T Tutorial #T12: Desktop Inkjet Products Performance Study (2003)
  43. IS&T Tutorial #T33: Secure Printing and Imaging Technologies (2003)

OTHER ACTIVITIES of Interest

  1. Regularly participate in Collaborative Testing Services (CTS) proficiency testing program
  2. Regularly participate in European Document Experts (EDEWG) Working Group Quality Assurance trials
  3. Regularly participate in European Forensic Handwriting Experts (ENFHEX) Working Group Quality Assurance trials
  4. Participated in ST2AR (Skill-Task Training, Assessment and Research) proficiency testing program (defunct 2022)
  5. Participated in Latrobe University, F.E.P.L. proficiency testing program (now defunct)
  6. Participated in several tours of local printing establishments, manufacturing plants and business machine distributors. 1989 RCMP Document Section Study Tour conducted in Central Canada and the North-Eastern United States.
  7. Assisted in the training of understudy document examiners in R.C.M.P. and C.B.S.A. laboratories
  8. Other lectures and training provided to police departments and investigator courses with RCMP, Canada Revenue Agency, Canada Border Services Agency, Department of National Defense, and other agencies and groups (various dates/locations).