Profile

I guess I should be described an analytical chemist. Analytical chemistry is a branch of chemistry that looks into separating, identifying and measuring quantities of the chemical components of materials. I use my knowledge in this area to help the Police and other government agencies protect the public. I spend some time in the office supporting the team and the rest of my time doing trials or experiments. I am very lucky that my work is not always based in a laboratory. Often I need to go to off-site locations to do my work. One example of a piece of analytical instrumentation I use is an Ion Mobility Spectrometer. This piece of equipment can be used to detect tiny particles of things like explosives, much smaller than the eye can see. For this reason it is often used as a security screening tool in airports. If you have ever had your belongings swabbed when you have been through airport security the chances are you have seen one of the devices I regularly work with. My background is in forensic science and I am very interested in techniques that can be used to develop fingerprints that are left at a scene of crime.