Our members

Jo Murphy

Jo is the Undergraduate Programme Director in the School of Criminology specialising in the development of fingermarks. Before becoming an academic, she worked as a CSI with the police service. Jo currently sits on various forensic teaching and research networks and her research interests are fingerprints/marks, explorative teaching practice and crime scene investigation.

Rob Hillman

Rob has a background in electrochemistry, electroactive materials and interfacial characterisation. These are combined in the chemical visualisation and imaging of latent fingermarks on metal, paper and plastic surfaces, using redox processes to generate electrochromic polymer or metal films, or metallic particles. Interfacial imaging techniques include UV/visible and FTIR spectroscopic, and optical, 3D and SEM microscopy. He is Editor in Chief of the journal Electrochimica Acta.

Learn more about Rob Hillman

Carole McCartney

Carole is Professor of Law and Criminal Justice and convenes the Criminal Law research cluster. Carole has been researching issues around criminal evidence and forensic science for twenty years, and has written on miscarriages of justice, international policing cooperation, DNA and biometrics, forensic science and criminal justice more widely. Follow Carole on Twitter: @ctmccartney.

Learn more about Carole McCartney

Lisa Smith

Lisa is the Head of School of Criminology. Her research focuses on the role of forensic science in the criminal justice system, including the use of scientific evidence in the courtroom and the impact of forensic innovation on access to justice in low-resource environments. Follow Lisa on Twitter: @DrLisaSmith.

Learn more about Lisa Smith

Jon Wetton

Jon is a Researcher specialising in the development of DNA techniques for both human and non-human forensics. Jon developed DNA fingerprinting, SLP and STR profiling for raptors at Nottingham University successfully implementing them in more than 20 wildlife crime cases. During 13 years at FSS as a Senior Researcher he was responsible for introducing novel species ID, and mtDNA, Y-STR and SNP tests, contract research and specialist casework.

Mark Jobling

Mark is interested in patterns of DNA diversity in populations, how this arises and what it tells us about the past. This has mostly been in human populations, but more recently in other animals including gorillas and domestic cats. His research has practical applications in forensics and conservation genetics and he collaborates with forensic practitioners and policy-makers in the UK and overseas.

Learn more about Mark Jobling

Richard Brawn

Richard is a Senior Lecturer in Forensic Chemistry and Researcher in Firearms Chemistry. Before becoming an academic in 2009, Richard worked for the Forensic Science Services as a Technical Consultant in DNA analysis.

Kevin Farrugia

Kevin is a Senior Lecturer in Forensic Chemistry. He is actively involved in research related to the enhancement of latent marks as well as integrated approaches of multiple types of evidence. He is a Chartered Chemist and a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences, Society of Evidence-based Policing, the International Association of Identification and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KevinFarrugia83.

Emma Johnston

Emma is an experienced forensic scientist with a background in DNA profiling and international experience. Before joining academia, she worked for LGC Forensics and the Forensic Anthropology Foundation of Guatemala. Emma is currently studying for PhD in the role of forensic science in identifying missing migrants. Follow Emma on LinkedIn.

Alexandra Campbell

Alexandra is a Senior Lecturer in Crime Scene Science and teaches on the BSc Hons Forensic Science course. Immediately before becoming an academic, Alex worked as a CSI with The Australian Federal Police in Sydney, Australia.

Rachel Armitage

Rachel is a Senior Laboratory Technician in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, specialising in electron microscopy and analytical chemistry. Rachel's research interests are the application of microscopy to analyse samples and the identification of substandard and falsified medicines using analytical techniques.

Leisa Nichols-Drew

Leisa is an Associate Professor, having also held a casework career from 2000 (FSS, Cellmark) coordinating complex major crime laboratory-scene examinations, training, QA-auditing, cold case reviews. Her specialisms include BPA, evidence recovery, weapon clothing damage and she is involved in numerous research/teaching networks. Leisa's research interests are training/teaching technologies, fingermark development, knife crime, and she welcomes consultancy opportunities related to the above. Follow Leisa on LinkedIn and Twitter: @ForensicLeisa.

Anu Neuvonen

Anu is a specialist in Forensic Genetics and has taught forensic modules at De Montfort University and Staffordshire University. She received her PhD from the University of Helsinki where her research focused on evaluating the underlying factors of the Finnish gene pool affecting forensic analysis.

Sarah Hall

Sarah is a Senior Lecturer in Analytical Forensic Chemistry. Although she has been in academia for more than 20 years, Sarah has previous industrial experience as a laboratory manager in accredited labs. Her main research interest is based in the fire risk of emollients, their trace detection and safer use. She is also interested in fire debris analysis, forensic wildlife and environmental analysis methods.

Chloe Swinfield

Chloe has been a Lecturer in the East Midlands since August 2019. She began her forensic career working on a DNA transfer project. Following this, she joined LGC forensic in their volume crime lab in Teddington as a trainee reporting officer and then senior analyst in DNA profile interpretation. After leaving LGC, she worked first as a Scientific Officer and then on a telomere measurement project within the cardiovascular sciences department.

Joel Able

Joe is a Lecturer in Forensic Science and currently studying a part-time PhD in fingermark development. Joel has a broad forensic science knowledge covering a wide variety of forensic science related topics including fingermarks, trace analysis and forensic chemistry. Before becoming a lecturer, Joel worked for over seven years as Lab Technician, specialising in Forensic Science.

Urszula Krzeminska-Ahmadzai (Ula)

Ula is a Lecturer in Forensic Biology. Her previous experience includes working for the industry within the Forensic Science sector as a DNA Reporting Scientist. Ula's teaching and research interests include forensic genetics and wildlife forensics, in particular the application of novel DNA sequencing technologies to forensic casework.

George Shajan

George is PhD researcher investigating the fire risk of fabrics with dried on emollients and their detection in post fire debris. In addition to studies, George is a part time lab demonstrator at university on the Forensic Science and Pharmacy courses. George graduated from a Forensic science academic background and his main interests are crime scene investigation with an emphasis on fire related scenes. Follow George on LinkedIn.

Jim Smith

Jim is a Crime Scene Manager and trainer based in Derbyshire for nearly 30 years. Jim is active in 2 workstreams for the Forensics Capability Network and lectures to both Nottingham Trent University and Derby University. Jim is passionate about sharing knowledge and experience between academia and operational policing agencies.

Rachel Johnson-Bottrill

Rachel spent 21 years as a CSI and CSM before stepping into the regional training role with EMSOU-FS.

Sophie Green

Sophie is a Forensic Analytical Services Laboratory Officer (FASLO) with EMSOU-FS. Sophie uses destructive and non-destructive techniques to enhance ridge detail, fabric and footwear marks on items recovered from crime scenes. Sophie also undertakes DNA recovery on exhibits within the specialist DNA Lab. The Labs are ISO 17025 accredited and therefore being a UKAS Technical Manager, Sophie oversees the Lab to ensure it meets accreditation requirements. Follow Sophie on Twitter: @EM_ForensicsLab.

Jo Morrissey

Jo is a Workforce Strategy Lead with the FCN having previously worked in policing (Metropolitan Police and US) and academia (visiting Associate Professor at Anglia Ruskin University). Jo is on the board of directors for the European Division of the International Association for Identification.

• Twitter: @jomorrissey1
• ORCID: Jo Morrissey
• LinkedIn: Jo Morrissey

Carolyn Lovell

Carolyn holds significant experience working within operational police forensic units. She started her career working within the fingerprint enhancement lab in 1995 and have since worked across many operational forensic roles. Carolyn recently completed a PhD in Criminal Justice specialising in Sexual Offences. She is an honorary Lecturer at the University of Portsmouth and support and supervise student research. She has developed and delivered the Crime Scene Managers/Coordinators course both in the UK and internationally.

Adrienne Shaw

Adrienne is a Scientific Officer with extensive forensic practitioner experience. Part of her role is to work with police, academia, and industry to meet the challenges of the Criminal Justice System and provide benefits to the community.

Beth McNash

Beth is a laboratory chemist specialising in the synthetic production of fingerprinting chemicals alongside research into various areas of forensic science. Beth completed her PhD prior to this role at Loughborough University, titled Forensic Evidence Enhancement using Physiological Aspects and Processes.

Richard Wilson

Richard is a laboratory chemist specialising in the production and research of chemicals relating to the development of fingermark deposits. Prior to his current role, Richard completed his PhD entitled 'Lowering levels of heritage crime via novel chemical procedures'.

Matthew Turner

Matthew is currently a Lecturer in Analytical Science. Before becoming an academic he was a senior chemist working in the trace analysis and pharmaceutical industry. Matthew's current research involves the development of chemical screening and capture applications for the security industry.

Paul Kelly

Paul is Head of the Chemistry Department and has been involved in the development of a number of new forensic approaches. Most significant of these is the Recover system for fingerprint retrieval, now commercialised with Foster and Freeman and employed worldwide. In addition, he has also worked in areas such as bio-fluid detection, metal theft prevention and heritage crime.

Ayoung Kim

Ayoung is the 4th year PhD researcher in Analytical Chemistry and also Research Associate in Analytical Separation Science. Ayoung has worked as an Analytical Chemist with PPG industries for around a decade. Kim's research interests are biological fluids/fingerprints, chemical weapons and crime scene investigation.

Jim Reynolds

Jim is a specialist in the use of ion mobility spectrometry and mass spectrometry. Jim has worked with Foster and Freeman Ltd in developing in-situ analysis of biological fluids at crime scenes.

William Morris

William is a Senior Lecturer in Forensic Science. Prior to entering Higher Education he worked for 15 years in operational policing, specialising in fingerprint identification and footwear analysis. He has also worked for the College of Policing as a Forensic Trainer, designing and delivering training on national and international forensic training programmes to forensic professionals from 8 different countries.

Fiona Whittaker

Fiona is a Senior Lecturer in Forensic Science, specialising in DNA and Biology. Prior to NTU, Fiona worked for the FSS and also LGC (now Eurofins) as a DNA Reporting Officer, over a 16-year period. Fiona is a Qualified Teacher, having worked in Secondary Education for 10 years. Fiona is currently involved in pedagogic research into the transition of students from Further Education to Higher Education.

Jon Wright

Jon is a Senior Lecturer with over 35 years Forensic Experience both as a practitioner and an academic. Jon is involved with teaching and research as well as standards committees. Jon acts as an advisor to TV and authors. Jon's main interests are BPA, fire, firearms, cold cases and historical CSI.

David Bryson

David is a Senior Lecturer in the College of Science and Engineering. Before becoming an academic, David trained as a clinical photographer and worked as a personal injury photographer. David is interested in the application of scientific photography in forensics and has co-edited books on smart clothing and wearable technology.

• ORCID: David Bryson
• LinkedIn: David Bryson

Kate Barnes

Kate is a Senior Lecturer in Forensic Biology specialising in entomology, ecology and taphonomy. Her research involves using a multidisciplinary approach to taphonomy, insect-microbe interactions and using insects to better interpret time since death estimations. She enjoys doing outreach, takes insect-based consultancy and trains practitioners in insect collection techniques.

• Twitter: @Dr_Bugs_UK
• ORCID: Kate Barnes
• LinkedIn: Kate Barnes

Kori Filipek

Kori is a forensic anthropologist and archaeologist with extensive field work and analytical experience. Her previous professional work involved working alongside the Los Angeles and Riverside County Coroners aiding in human skeletal identification and analyses. She has also worked in forensic recovery efforts in Guatemala, El Salvador, Greece, and Romania. She sits on several professional committees and is a forensic global expert for the International Committee for the Red Cross.

Georgios Zouganelis

Georgios is a Lecturer in Forensic Science. His research combines elements of biochemistry, genetics, nanotechnology and toxicology to address issues in forensic, environmental and biomedical settings related to biological identification and toxicity.

Ana Flavia Belchior de Andrade

Ana is a Lecturer in Forensic Science and a former practitioner. She worked 12 years as a crime scene investigator and forensic expert in Brazil investigating serious crimes and performing different laboratory analysis. Her research interests are in the area of New psychoactive substance and in the develop of sensor to detect different compounds of forensic interest. Ana currently teaches on different topics in forensic science and participate in different network within the subject.

Sebastien Moret

Sebastien is a Senior Lecturer and Programme leader of the BSc in Forensic Science. He moved to the UK in 2022 after spending 8 years in Australia as an academic. He is teaching both at Undergraduate and Postgraduate levels focusing on crime scene, photography, shoemark and fingermark. His specific research interests are around nanoparticles to detect fingermark, as well as on a more fundamental understanding of fingermark detection techniques and improving research quality in the field.

Samantha Drake

Samantha is a Senior Lecturer in Forensic Chemistry and Programme Leader for MSc Forensic Science. Samantha teaches in all areas of forensic and analytical chemistry and has particular interest in chromatographic techniques and extraction methods. Her primary research specialism is drugs of abuse, though she is equally happy analysing any substance of forensic interest which have previously ranged from inks to cadaveric volatile organic compounds.

Denis Werner

Denis is a Lecturer in Forensic Science and defines himself as a forensic generalist, with the overarching vision of considering forensic science as a discipline on its own. He has been involved in forensic casework for Swiss and foreign judicial authorities in different fields. His ongoing research includes the physical identification of traces collected at the crime science, chemical criminalistics analysis, and traces interpretation.

• ORCID: Denis Werner

Esther Crooks

Esther is a Lecturer in the School of Human Sciences specialising in Analytical and Forensic Chemistry. Before academia, Esther worked in both industry and science communication, and returned to work in academia through a Daphne Jackson Fellowship. Esther's research interests are in new forms of trace evidence and environmental forensics.

Dan Matthews

Dan is a Senior Lecturer and the Programme Leader for Forensic Science. Prior to becoming an academic, Dan was a reporting forensic scientist for over 20 years at the FSS, Burgoynes and Key Forensic Services. Dan's areas of expertise include trace evidence, DNA, bodyfluids, BPA, fire investigation and ignitable liquids analysis. He is part of the steering committee for the ENFSI Fire and Explosions Investigation Working Group.

Hilary Hamnett

Hilary is an Associate Professor in Forensic Science in the School of Chemistry. Hilary worked as a forensic toxicologist for 8 years in the UK and New Zealand. Her research interests include cognitive forensics and novel psychoactive substances. Follow on Hilary on Twitter: @hilaryhamnett.