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Last updated 3rd June 2026

Dr Gage Ashton is a Lecturer in Forensic and Analytical Science, appointed in 2021 following a research role within the Thermal Methods Research Unit (TMRU) in the School of Applied Sciences at the University of Huddersfield.

He teaches across all undergraduate year groups, with a particular focus on final-year students in his roles as Final Year Tutor and Research Project Coordinator. His teaching centres on laboratory analysis, especially in the areas of Forensic Toxicology, Drug Analysis, Energetic Materials, and Fire/Arson Investigation.

His research is rooted in Forensic Chemistry, with a focus on analytical techniques such as Thermal Analysis and Ambient Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (AIMS) for the identification and quantification of materials of forensic relevance. His current research interests include:

• Development and evaluation of novel instrumentation, particularly the implementation of thermomicroscopy.
• Chemometric profiling of genuine and counterfeit products.
• Analytical methods for detecting drink spiking.
• Chemical profiling of animal-origin samples to support species identification in Wildlife Forensics.

Dr Ashton is a member of the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences (CSoFS), the British Mass Spectrometry Society (BMSS), and the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) where he is serving as Vice-Chair of the RSC's Thermal Methods Group (TMG), reflecting his active engagement with the wider forensic and analytical science community.