The project, named Securing Optimal Understanding and Recall in Cognitive Elicitation (SOURCE), will explore new techniques to enhance memory and information recall in security professionals. This initiative is spearheaded by Dr Gianmarco Convertino, who has been awarded a prestigious UK Intelligence Community Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (ICRF) from the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Dr Convertino stated, "Effective interviewing relies heavily on human memory, and we aim at decoding fundamental mechanisms that enable reliable, bias-resistant information gathering." He expressed honour at the project's selection for funding among competitive STEM disciplines, viewing it as an exciting opportunity to advance cognitive research towards real-world applications.
Working alongside Professor of Applied Cognitive Psychology, Lorraine Hope, an expert in investigative interviewing, the research will test evidence-based techniques to strengthen memory during interviews and subsequent reporting. The project will also examine whether group collaboration enhances or inadvertently introduces errors into individual memories.
“"I genuinely couldn't be more excited that we will have an opportunity to work on this challenge here at Portsmouth. Given the profile of this award, it's a real coup we can host it here across strength areas relating to security, technology and research with impact."
A key aspect of the SOURCE project involves cross-faculty collaboration within the University. Researchers will partner with experts from the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries (CCI) to utilise cutting-edge mixed reality technology. Participants will engage in realistic interviews with AI-powered virtual characters, recreating complex intelligence gathering scenarios in a controlled setting.
Professor of Digital Culture and Social Innovation, Christian Morgner, highlighted the potential of immersive technology, stating, "Immersive technology offers exciting new possibilities for understanding how people think, communicate and remember information in complex situations." He added that the project is a "fantastic example of how collaboration between creative technologies and cognitive science can lead to innovative research with real-world applications, particularly in areas as important as security and intelligence."
The findings from the SOURCE project are expected to offer practical guidance for security, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies, informing future training programmes to improve information reporting and decision-making. The research fellowships are funded by the Department of Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) and co-funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Government Office for Science.
