I am a Lecturer in Forensic Science at University of Staffordshire, teaching on our BSc Forensic Science, BSc Forensic Investigation and MSc Forensic Science courses. I specialise in forensic chemistry, with a particular focus on drug analysis. I joined the team as a Lecturer in 2022 and completed my PhD in Forensic Science in 2023 with a thesis titled “An investigation into the application of a continuous screening, confirmation, and feedback cycle for the identification of synthetic cannabinoids in prisons”. I am involved with the Staffordshire Forensic Partnership (SFP), a formal collaboration with Staffordshire Police's forensic department, and have undertaken research with them to provide intelligence and information regarding the analysis of seized drugs, specifically synthetic cathinones.
Professional memberships and activities
Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry
Academic qualifications
- PhD Forensic Science Postgraduate Certificate in Higher and Professional Education
- MSci Forensic Science
Expertise
- Identification of new psychoactive substances (NPS) and traditional drugs through analytical techniques
- Detection methods for the analysis of drugs in prisons
Research interests
Current research being undertaken surrounds the analysis of new psychoactive substances (NPS), specifically synthetic cannabinoids and synthetic cathinones. This research has been applied to NPS seized from prisons and/or from local police forces.
Teaching
I teach on the BSc Forensic Science, BSc Forensic Investigation and MSc Forensic Science courses, predominantly regarding forensic chemistry and the analysis of drugs across all levels of study. I am the module leader for the Introduction to Forensic Scientific Techniques module for the Level 4 Forensic Investigation students, and the Contemporary Issues in Forensic Science module for the Level 7 MSc Forensic Science students.
Publications