About

I am a lecturer in Forensic Science and the programme lead for the MSc Forensic Science course. My background is in forensic entomology and microscopy.

Teaching responsibilities

I am the Module Leader for the Level 6 Module "Miscarriages of Justice" at undergraduate level and the Level 7 2Advanced Crime Scene and Evidence Analysis" at postgraduate level.

I also do various teaching on the topics of entomology, forensic ecology, imaging, and expert witness presentation.

Research interests

• Forensic Entomology 
• Forensic Entomotoxicology
• Microscopy 
• Preservation of slide mounted evidence

In 2018 I was awarded the Linnean Society of London's Trail-Crisp Medal "in recognition of an outstanding contribution to biological microscopy that has been published in the UK".

Membership of professional bodies

• Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society (FRES)
• Fellow of the Linnean Society of London (FLS)
• Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society (FRMS) 
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) 
• Member of the Chartered Society of Forensic Science (MCSFS) 
• Member of the European Association for Forensic Entomology 
• Member of the European Microscopy Society  

Qualifications

• PhD Forensic Entomology (Nottingham Trent University) 
• MSc Forensic Science (Staffordshire University)
• BSc (Hons) Environmental Biology (Nottingham Trent)
• FdSc Biology (Nottingham Trent University) 

Recent conferences

• Chick, A.I.R., (2025) It's not a feature, it's a bug: forensic entomology. The Chartered Society of Forensic Science: Emerging Forensic Network Webinar, 8th September 2025 
• Chick, A.I.R., (2024) Pseudoscorpions and the equipment used to observe them. World Microscope Day, The Quekett Society 13th April 2024
• Chick, A.I.R., (2018) Slide collections, past, present and future. The Relevance of Collections and Collecting in the Anthropocene, Congress at the Natural History Museum, 23rd and 24th of July 2018
• Chick, A.I.R., (2016) PubhD #23 History, Forensic Entomology and Mathematics. PubhD: Can you explain your PhD in the Pub? 21st January 2016
• Chick, A.I.R., (2014) Bugs, Bacon and C.S.I: My life as a Post Grad. Ten years of Forensic Science at NTU Keynote lecture. Nottingham Trent University 12th February 2014
• Chick, A.I.R., (2013) The effects of nicotine on carrion feeding insects with considerations for use within forensic science. Nottingham Trent University Chemistry and Forensic Science Research Colloquium. 13th November 2013
• Chick, A.I.R., (2012) The effect of nicotine on carrion feeding insects with considerations for use within forensics. FIRN regional student conference. Presented at Staffordshire University, 20th April 2012
• Chick, A.I.R., (2011) The effect of nicotine on carrion feeding insects with considerations for use within forensics. Nottingham Trent University School of Science and Technology Research Conference, 10th - 11th May 2011
• Chick, A.I.R., (2009) The effect of nicotine on carrion feeding insects with considerations for use within forensics. Your PhD in Chemistry: Keele University 2009 Symposium, 14th - 15th May 2009
• Chick, A.I.R., (2007) A study of the effects of common insecticides on the colonization and decomposition of carrion by invertebrates. FIRN regional student conference. Presented at the University of Wolverhampton, 30th March 2007

Additional interests and activities

I am currently the assistant editor of "The Entomologists's Monthly Magazine" 

In the media

• (24^th March 2023) Major incident exercise staged at University of Cumbria. ITV news interview on the major incident forensic training exercise. https://www.itv.com/news/border/2023-03-24/major-incident-exercise-at-university-of-cumbria
• (3^rd March 2017) PodhD Episode 6: https://soundcloud.com/user-711798858/podhd-episode-6
• (22nd September 2010) “injecting pigs with nicotine” a Reuters interview regarding PhD research http://www.reuters.com/news/video
• (22nd July 2010) “Flying ants” Trent FM interview regarding the appearance of flying ants in Nottingham city centre
• (1st July 2010) Nicotine and pigs trotters: the latest CSI tool kit. New scientist web article featuring PhD research and video interview, http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19109-nicotine-and-pigs-trotters-the- latest-csi-toolkit.html (also featured in the July edition of New Scientist TV)

Recent publications

• Chick, A.I.R., (2024) Specialists: in Roy, H., Hill, J., Watt, A., and Aimé, E (eds) 2024 "Royal Entomological Society Insects: Discover the Science and Secrets Behind the World of Insects" DK publishing, London
• Chick, A.I.R., (2020) Stains for entomological microtechnique: simple stains for whole mounts and dissection. Zootaxa 4790 (3): 447–472 
• Chick, A.I.R., (2018) A revised Checklist of the UK Silverfish (Zygentoma: Lepismatidae) Zootaxa 4504(3) 447-450
• Chick, A.I.R. and Andrews, L., (2017) Pseudoscorpions, an understudied and ideal microscopic study organism, The Quekett Journal of Microscopy 43 131-134
• Chick, A.I.R. and Dye, A., (2017) Apis mellifera (Linnaeus, 1761) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) on carrion, a note of the behaviour and a review of the literature. The Entomologist's Record and Journal of Variation 129 (6) 311-312
• Chick, A.I.R., (2017) Creating three dimensional, orientable, temporary invertebrate slides for photomicrography. Bull. Amat. Ent Soc. 76 September 156-157
• Chick, A.I.R., (2017) A Methodology for Recovering Invertebrate Specimens from Deteriorated Gum Chloral Mountant Media, Entomologists Monthly Magazine,15 (2) 117-119
• Chick, A.I.R., (2016) Some records of Aphodiini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) on carrion, The Coleopterist. 25 (3)111-113
• Chick, A.I.R., (2016) A specimen measuring device for the stereo microscope, The Quekett Journal of microscopy 42 719-721
• Chick, A.I.R., (2016) Insect microscopy. The Crowood Press, Wiltshire
• Chick, A.I.R. (2012) Sargus bipunctatus (Scopoli) (Diptera, Stratiomyidae) on carrion in Nottinghamshire, and some considerations for forensic entomology. Dipterists Digest 19 (2) 162
• Chick, A.I.R. (2011) A Modification of Farrants mountant for use in examining Carabid gut contents. Beetle news 3:3 October. 3
• Chick, A.I.R., Cassella J.P (2011) Gum Damar as a substitute for Canada Balsam in mounting media for microscopical specimens, Entomologists Monthly Magazine, 147 (2) 111-114
• Chick, A.I.R. (2010) Carrion in: Chandler. P. (ed) A Dipterists Handbook Second Edition. AES publishing
• Chick, A.I.R. (2010) A modification of Dionis Mountant as a substitute for Berlese Mountant. Entomologists Monthly Magazine. 146 (2) 117-118
• Chick, A.I.R. (2010) Collection of Coleoptera from carrion. Beetle News. 2:1 March. 2
• Chick, A.I.R. (2010) Rhingia rostrata on carrion in Nottinghamshire. Hoverfly Newsletter 48, 8
• Chick, A.I.R. (2009) Dermestidae as pests of cultured insects. The Coleopterist 18:3, 187
• Chick, A.I.R. (2009) Aging of small carrion to collect Coleoptera in summer. Beetle News 1:3, October. 2
• Chick A.,  Cassella J.P., Terrell-Neild C. (2008). A study of the effects of common insecticides on the colonisation and decomposition of carrion by invertebrates. Global Forensic Science Today - 6: 18-26
• Chick, A.I.R. (2008) Some novel suggestions for the collection and study of Diptera from carrion, Bulletin of the Dipterists Forum [65] 24-26