Event Details

Join us 28-30 Jul for a hands-on three-day journey into forensic linguistics, speech science, and the (mis)use of AI, particularly in fraud. No prior expertise required. The £30 fee includes sessions, materials, refreshments, and lunch. Limited places!

FACTOR Summer School 2025

In 2024, the Global Chief Financial Officer of engineering giant Arup instructed a Hong Kong employee to join a video call. During this call, the CFO and other executives known to the employee ordered a series of bank transfers totalling £20m. The problem? The only real person on the call was the employee. The CFO and everyone else was a deepfake, each looking and sounding enough like the real deal to pull off one of the most sophisticated heists to date.

This may be the highest profile case that has been made public so far, but there have been thousands, if not millions more, and they are happening all around us right now. As you read this, people are sending romantic messages, unaware that their supposed lover doesn’t really exist, or receiving voicenotes pleading for bail money from relatives who are, in fact, completely safe, or having their accounts quietly broken into by a voice that sounds just like theirs. A growing number of cases are documented, but through heartbreak or embarrassment or both, many victims never report the scams perpetrated against them, despite how personally devastating they can be.

Whether you're a professional interested in the risks and opportunities afforded by AI, or a teacher looking to inspire students with pressing cutting-edge applications of English language and linguistics, or simply someone fascinated by language and crime, the FACTOR Summer School might just be for you.

Over the course of three days, we’ll take you through the worlds of forensic linguistics (FL), forensic speech science (FSS), and in particular, the newest challenge we’re all facing – the (mis)use of AI. Within this we’ll introduce you to the uniqueness of our voices, the telltale linguistic habits we unconsciously fall into, and how well AI is currently able to replicate them. On the last day you'll take on the role of investigative expert with a high-profile fraud case to solve.

And finally, we hope you'll walk away a little better prepared in case the fraudster's next target happens to be you.

Does it cost?

Tickets are £30 each. This includes all teaching sessions and handouts, a summer school bag with a selection of goodies, coffee/tea breaks across all three days, and a packed lunch during the middle day.

Note that there is a cap on registration numbers, and demand for our summer schools is always extremely high. (See Where do I get my tickets? and The tickets have sold out. What can I do? below.)

Are there any restrictions on who can attend?

The summer school is open to those aged 18 and above. The theme this year is fraud and AI. However, we will inevitably discuss other cases involving, e.g. murder, terrorism, suicide, assault, and so forth. There will also be examples that contain strong language. Whilst we never include graphic or unnecessary details, you should carefully consider whether this content will be suitable for you.

Do I need to be a linguist, a student, a professional, etc.?

You do not need any prior experience or expertise in language, linguistics, AI, computing, criminology, or law whatsoever. The content is absolutely introductory, and we have designed our summer school with maximum participation and enjoyability at the forefront.

Is this a high-intensity summer school?

Quite the opposite. We run the whole thing at a gentle pace. The schedule includes regular breaks for mental downtime or socialising or general decompression, and we have opted for starts and finishes that better accommodate caring responsibilities, getting to and from campus, and those who would like to turn their visit into something a little more extended.

It is summer, after all.

If you find yourself inspired to learn more at a faster pace, just come and talk to us. We have plenty of no-cost and low-cost recommendations for anyone who wants to carry on after the summer school is over.

What do I need to bring?

• Curiosity and interest
• A smartphone, tablet, or laptop with earbuds or headphones so that you can read short texts and listen to audio samples. (We can't guarantee access to sockets so you might want to bring a powerbank too.)
• Perhaps optimistically, a sunhat/sunscreen. We have lovely outdoor spaces to sit in, eat your lunch, and stroll around between sessions… if the weather cooperates!

Who runs the summer school?

You'll meet a distinguished panel of speakers from FACTOR, including:

• Professor Claire Hardaker (Forensic Linguistics, Director of FACTOR)
• Dr Georgina Brown (Forensic Speech Science, DSI Deputy Theme Lead for Responsible Security)
• Dr Isobelle Clarke (Forensic Linguistics, Security & Protection Science)
• Dr Justin Lo (Forensic Phonetics, Security & Protection Science)

You’ll also meet some of our best FACTOR students, including:

• Greta Esposito (PhD topic: how much are questions and answers altered by interpretation in bilingual police interviews?)
• Hope McVean (PhD topic: are we better at spotting deepfake audio scams if the voice is someone we know?)

Lancaster's Linguistics & English Language department is consistently ranked third in the world (QS2024, QS2025), and members of the team are also part of the University's extensive initiatives around Security & Protection Science and beyond. In other words, you'll be learning from experts at the very forefront of their fields.

When and where is it?

The 2025 summer school runs from lunchtime Mon 28th to lunchtime Wed 30th July 2025 at Lancaster University. Finalised details about times and rooms will be sent to ticket holders closer to the event. You’re also welcome to keep an eye on the blog, but note that the information here could change as we make final tweaks.

Where do I get my ticket(s)?

You can purchase your tickets here. Please note that the only way to reserve a space is through the purchase of a ticket.

The tickets have sold out. What can I do?

We keep a waiting list in case registrants cancel, and returned tickets are offered to the next person in line. If you miss out this year, the FACTOR Summer School is also planned again for 2026.

I have questions about, e.g. accessibility, B&Bs/hotels, childcare, parking, etc. Where can I find answers?

For those new to Lancaster and/or to Lancaster University campus, we’ve put together a FACTOR Summer School guide. We’ve covered everything from campus accessibility to playgrounds and baby change facilities to parking (bikes and cars), hotels, sight-seeing, exercise, and even the possibility of otters. At the blog, you can also find out more about the planned schedule (this is subject to change) and FACTOR in general.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for, send us an email at factor@lancaster.ac.uk.

Thanks

We're incredibly grateful to DSI for supporting FACTOR Summer School 2025.