a.towler@uq.edu.au
About
I research ways to improve the accuracy and efficiency of face identification decisions in forensic settings. This includes identifying predictors of superior face identification ability (super-recognition), developing evidence-based facial image comparison methods and training, and optimising how humans and facial recognition software work together to identify people.
Together with my colleagues Dr. David White and Prof. Richard Kemp at the UNSW Forensic Psychology Lab, I work closely with the Australian Passport Office to improve the detection of identity fraud in passport applications.
I am an active member of the Evidence Based Forensics Initiative, an inter-disciplinary group of lawyers, forensic scientists and cognitive scientists, advocating evidence-based practice in the forensic sciences.
Career History
DECRA Research Fellow | present | The University of Queensland
DECRA Research Fellow | 2021-2022 | The University of New South Wales
Postdoctoral Research Fellow | 2017-2021 | The University of New South Wales
Postdoctoral Research Fellow | 2016-2017 | The University of York, UK
Awards
Staff Excellence Award for Early Career Excellence | 2019 | UNSW
Early Career Researcher Award | 2018 | American Psychological Association
Best paper in JEP: Applied | 2017 | American Psychological Association
Education
PhD | 2017 | The University of New South Wales
B. Psychological Science (Hons. I) | 2011 | The University of Queensland