Dr Keith Sturrock

Contact info

k.sturrock@abertay.ac.uk

+44 (0)1382 30 8754

Biography

Keith obtained his undergraduate degree in Chemistry from Heriot-Watt University (1982) and his PhD in synthetic hetero-aromatic chemistry from Abertay University (2005).

He started his career at Abertay in 1984 as a lab technician and then became a part-time lecturer upon completion of his PhD.

Since 2007 he has been a Lecturer in Forensic Chemistry and from 2010 t0 2015 was the Programme Tutor for the BSc (Hons) Policing & Security programme.

He is currently the manager of the University micro-Xray Computed Tomography suite and is the UNiversity Radiation Protection Supervisor.

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Teaching
Research

Since 2007 Keith has been a Lecturer in Forensic Chemistry.

Keith is Module Leader for FOR101 and FOR303 on the Forensic Science Programme

Interests

Keith's main Forensic research interests involve the detection, enhancement and analysis of trace evidence. Specifically, microscopic, chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques for the discrimination of ball point pen inks. Natural products (genepin, lawsone) as novel finger mark enhancement reagents and the application of spectroscopic and chromatographic to the analysis of food stuffs and natural products.

Keith is a founder member of the Food and Forensic Research Group (FFRG) and has investigated the fatty acid profiles of triacylglycerols and phospholipids found in the oil bodies of seeds and nuts. Additionally he has worked on the identification of flavour molecules in smoked fish and the fatty acid profile of meat product.

He is curently working on the discrimination of honey by floral origin using chromatographic, spectroscopic and chemometric techniques and the mitigation of the formation of harmful chemicals produced during the Maillard reaction in a selection of pre-prepared food products.

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More Information

Funding

Keith is the co-holder of two Abertay University Pump Priming grants. One of which involves a study into the feasibility of establishing an accredited analytical laboratory within Abertay to serve the local food and drink industry. The other involves working with colleagues from SIMBIOS on the detection and quantification of ergosterol produced by fungi in contaminated grain bodies.

He has also been successful in attracting funding through 'Interface' initiative for his food related work.

Esteem

2012 Elected as a member of the Forensic Institute Research Network (FIRN) management board

2010 Elected as a Graduate member of the Security Institute (SyI)

Knowledge Exchange

2012 Convened Forensic Research and Teaching (FORREST) conference at Abertay University

2009 Nuffield Undergraduate Bursary – “The Investigation of Lawsone as a New Reagent for the Enhancement of Latent Fingerprints on Porous Materials”

2009 How to encourage PDP and reflective practice in first year students, (Conference paper), Quality Enhancement Themes Conference 2009, UAD

2009 Introducing Reflective Practice to First Year Forensic Science Students, (Poster), 6th Annual Enhancement Themes Conference, Heriot- Watt University

2009 Introducing Reflective Practice to First Year Forensic Science Students, (Conference paper), FORREST 2009, Liverpool John Muir University.

2008 Contemporary Forensic Practice and Techniques (a Forensic Case Study), (Conference paper), FORREST 2008, Robert Gordon University.

2008 A Case Exercise (a Forensic PBL Case Study), (Conference paper), EBL/PBL workshop, HEACADEMY, Manchester University, 2008