- Graduated with a BSc (hons) in Geography, Edinburgh University 
- Awarded a PhD in Soil Science, Aberdeen University
- Has published over 100 scientific papers, books and book chapters, and holds a diploma in Science Communication
- Treasurer of the IUGS Initiative on Forensic Geology (IFG) and Chair of the Geological Society Forensic Geology Group (FGG) and an affiliate member of the Organisation of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science, USA
- Awarded a CBE in the late Queen’s birthday honours list, June 2018, for services to soil and forensic science and was the Pride of Britain award, 2017 and Soil Forensic Expert Witness of the Year in the Corporate INTL 2021 Global Awards 
- Awarded the RSE James Hutton medal for excellence in the communication of Earth and Environmental sciences in 2023
 

- Principal Scientist and Head of the Centre for Forensic Soil Science at the James Hutton Institute
- Visiting Professor at Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen
- Professor​, Sciences Department, CESPU, Portugal
- Chartered Scientist, Fellow of the Institute of British Soil Scientists, Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Fellow of the Royal Institute of Biology and Fellow of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society
- Registered advisor with the National Crime Agency, a trained Expert Witness, holding diplomas in civil and criminal law (Cardiff University, 2011, 2012, 2017 and University of Aberdeen, 2021) and has worked on over 200 cases with police, agencies, and lawyers across the UK and overseas
- Has presented evidence in over 20 cases, including, WA v Rayney,  Perth, Australia, 2012; R v Davies, Wales, 2013; HMA v Sinclair, Livingston, 2014; R v Halliwell, Bristol, 2016; HMA v Willox, Glasgow, 2020, HMA v MacDowell, Inverness, 2022, the Sheku Bayoh Public Inquiry, Edinburgh, R v Southwood, Newport, 2023, and HMA v Packer, 2024
- Knowledge Exchange Lead for Environment for SEFARI Gateway (Scottish Environment Food Agriculture Research Institutes) and sits on the Environment Protection Scotland (EPS) Land Quality Expert Advisory Group
- Commissioner with the Food, Farming and Countryside (FFCC) and authored the RSA Scotland FFCC report (2019) and is co-chair of the devolved Scotland inquiry
- Recently served on the Scottish Government Arable Climate Change Advisory Group (ACCG) and is on the scientific advisory panel for the Scottish Government’s Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board (ARIOB)
- Currently on the UK Forensic Science Regulator’s Non-Human Biology Specialist Group, the ENFSI Opinion and Interpretation Working Group and the ENFSI  QCC Guide on Qualitative Uncertainty Working Group