National Center for Media Forensics has new director

Grigoras

Catalin Grigoras, Ph.D., recently was hired as director of the National Center for Media Forensics (NCMF) at the College of Arts and Media at the University of Colorado Denver. Grigoras' duties include coordinating the center's education and scientific projects.

Grigoras' research encompasses digital signal processing in forensic multimedia, including digital recording authentication, audio/image analysis, enhancement, and speaker recognition. His research into digital signal processing has resulted in advanced methods to authenticate digital audio/video recordings and semiautomatic systems for forensic speaker recognition.

"This position allows me to continue my research and teaching activities, and it is also a new challenge for me," said Grigoras. "I recognize that I'm lucky to be on the same team with my new colleagues, and I'm positive that together with them and our students we can continue the work of the former director, Richard Sanders, and push the limits of scientific knowledge as far as it is possible."

Prior to UC Denver, Grigoras taught forensics as assistant professor with the National Institute of Magistracy in Romania. Grigoras was chairman of the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes – Forensic Speech and Audio Analysis Working Group between 2007 and 2009. He is a member of the Audio Engineering Society Subcommittee on Forensic Audio and the International Association of Forensic Phonetics and Acoustics. He has published numerous forensic audio/video articles and is a co-author of "Best Practice Guidelines for ENF Analysis in Forensic Authentication of Digital Evidence" (2009).

In addition to providing a master's of science emphasis in media forensics, the National Center for Media Forensicsprovides much-needed training opportunities for law enforcement through innovative credit-bearing workshops dealing with forensic media analysis. Through this activity, the NCMF and UC Denver cultivate strong, mutually beneficial partnerships that engage local, federal and global law enforcement communities.