Alexander Reip

Education

I spent my degree reading Chemistry at The University of Reading. I studied many different areas including Forensic analysis, criminology, biomolecular archaeology and crime scene analysis. My final year dissertation was with Dr. Fred Davis and entitled “Luminescence and the optimization and quantification of iron in blood using Luminol” I then kept the same theme of blood detection when I did my master’s thesis with Dr. Matthew Almond which was entitled “Looking into blood detection and interferences in the different techniques”

From here I changed focus to fingerprinting and started my PhD at Brunel and started working on a project with Prof Jack Silver and Prof Robert Withnall on “The use of nano phosphors for latent fingerprint detection”

(left) SiO₂ coated and modified Y₂O₃:Eu phosphor dusted onto a 2 year old fingerprint

(centre) SiO₂ coated Y₂O₃:Tb dusted onto a newly identified fingerprint

(right) SEM image of SiO₂ coated and modified Y₂O₃:Eu phosphor dusted onto a 2 year old fingerprint

Work Experience

I spent 4 months during my degree working at Intrinsiq Materials Ltd as an intern. I worked with improving sales “backroom” service under the guidance of Sales Director, Dr Ian Clark. I supplied potential market and customer details direct to the CEO and CTO. I set up and managed the current switchboard database of customers, competitors and general inquiries. Additionally researched certain prominent nanomaterials to detect any potential health risks involved with their use in medical equipment; identifying key application areas, risks and competitor technologies.

I also spent a week attached to a Thames Valley Police scene of crime unit and attended investigations of burglary and theft in order to consolidate and contextualise my studies.

Research Interests

Forensic chemistry

Toxicology

Drug analysis

Blood detection

Nanomaterials

Fingerprinting

Currency and art fraud using raman and infrared spectroscopy

Transmission and scanning electron microscopy

Research Activity

Phosphor Synthesis

Raman Identification

Fingerprint testing and detection by Scanning Electron Microscopy

Awards and Skills

Associate member of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Student member of the Forensic Science Society

2011 – ResCon Prize

Writing and presenting PhD research in poster form on using doped yttrium oxide phosphors for detection of latent fingerprints

2011 – Vice Chancellors Prize

Writing and presenting PhD research in poster form on using doped yttrium oxide phosphors for detection of latent fingerprints.

2011 – Exhibitor - All Our Own Work Exhibition

A display of work by students made at the art centre. I have six sets of porcelain and stoneware items at the exhibition

2010 – Commendation - Technology World

Commendation received for poster presented at the Technology World Conference in November 2010

2008 – Vice President - University of Reading Chemsoc

Voted into position by members, duties included organising events, keeping track of committee expenditure, handling comments and suggestions by other members