Dr Dominic Watt is Senior Lecturer in Forensic Speech Science at the University of York, and undertakes forensic phonetic casework on a part-time basis. Dr Watt co-designed and delivers the MSc in Forensic Speech Science at York, the only course of its kind. He has degrees in linguistics and phonetics from the Universities of Edinburgh and Newcastle, and has held teaching and research positions in the speech sciences at institutions throughout the UK and in Germany.
Case Experience
Dr Watt has regularly undertaken casework with J P French Associates since 2002. His experience includes working for both prosecution and defence in speaker comparison, transcription and disputed content analysis as well as consulting on earwitness testimony.
Qualifications
1987-1992 – MA (Hons) Linguistics, University of Edinburgh
1994-1998 – PhD Phonetics, Newcastle University
Positions and memberships
1992-1993 – Lektor, English Dept, University of Flensburg, Germany
1998-1999 – Research Associate, Department of Linguistics and Phonetics, University of Leeds (supported by UK Economic and Social Research Council)
1999-2000 – Research Fellow, Department of Language and Linguistic Science, University of York
2000-2002 – Lecturer in Phonetics and Phonology, Department of Language and Linguistic Science, University of York
2002-2007 – Lecturer in Sociolinguistics and Director of Phonetics Laboratory, University of Aberdeen
2007-present – Lecturer then Senior Lecturer in Forensic Speech Science, Department of Language and Linguistic Science, University of York
He has also held temporary teaching positions in articulatory phonetics, acoustic phonetics and audiology, English phonology and sociolinguistics at Queen Margaret University Edinburgh, Newcastle University, University College London, Leeds Metropolitan University, and the University of Durham.
Member and Research Committee member of the International Association for Forensic Phonetics and Acoustics
Editorial board member for the International Journal of Speech, Language and the Law
Member of International Phonetic Association
Member of Linguistics Association of Great Britain
Publications and presentations
Dr Watt has published widely in the areas of phonetics and phonology, accent acquisition and approaches to measuring vocal parameters. He also gives presentations and invited talks at conferences across the world. A selection can be viewed on his academic profile and webpages or in his CV.
Media
Dr Watt has been interviewed numerous times for radio programmes in the UK and internationally, and in January 2010 appeared in ‘The North South Divide’, a documentary presented by John and Pauline Prescott. Dr Watt was interviewed by Morgan Spurlock for his film celebrating the 20th anniversary of ‘The Simpsons’ (on the use of accent), and has been involved in the production of a BBC Radio 4 programme on accent and dialect in the UK.