I am a senior lecturer and Course Leader for Forensic Science. I specialise in forensic chemistry, particularly forensic drug analysis.
I joined University of Staffordshire in 2000 as an undergraduate student, studying for an honours degree in Forensic Science. I went on to undertake PhD research relating to the use of trace metals for the determination of geographical origin of heroin, awarded by University of Staffordshire in 2012.
Academic qualifications
- PhD (Forensic Science)
- Postgraduate Certificate in Higher and Professional Education (University of Staffordshire)
- Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methods (University of Staffordshire)
- BSc Forensic Science, first class honours degree (University of Staffordshire)
Expertise
My expertise is in analytical chemistry, particularly those techniques used for the identification and quantification of drugs.
Research interests
I currently work with local law enforcement to analyse samples of seized drugs to provide intelligence surrounding identification and purity etc. My main focus has been synthetic cathinones (including Monkey Dust), heroin and cocaine.
I have helped supervise PhD research to completion to investigate the application of a continued screening, confirmation, and feedback cycle for the identification of synthetic cannabinoids in prisons.
Teaching
I mainly teach undergraduate and postgraduate students about forensic chemistry, particularly analytical chemistry including how chemical data can be used to identify and make comparisons between samples obtained from crime scenes.