John R. Dean took his first degree in chemistry at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), followed by an M.Sc. in Analytical Chemistry and Instrumentation at Loughborough University of Technology, and finally a Ph.D. and D.I.C. in Physical Chemistry at the Imperial College of Science and Technology (University of London). He then spent two years as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Food Science Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in Norwich, in Conjunction with the Polytechnic of the South West in Plymouth. His work there was focused on the development of directly coupled high performance liquid chromatography and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry methods for trace element speciation in foodstuffs. This was followed by a temporary lectureship in Inorganic Chemistry at Huddersfield Polytechinc. In 1988, he was appointed to a lectureship in Inorganic/Analytical chemistry at Newcastle Polytechnic (now Northumbria University). This was followed by promotion to Senior Lecturer (1990), Reader (1994), Principal Lecturer (1998) and Associate Dean (Research) (2004). He was also awarded a personal chair in 2004. In 1998, he was awarded a D.Sc. (University of London) in Analytical and Environmental Science and was the recipient of the 23rd Society for Analytical Chemistry (SAC) Silver Medal in 1995. He has published extensively in analytical and environmental science. He is an active member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Analytical Division, having served as a member of the atomic spectroscopy group for 15 years (10 as Honorary Secretary), as well as a past Chairman (1997-1999). He has served on the Analytical Division Council for Three terms and is a former Vice-President (2002-2004), as well as a past-Chairman of the North-East Region of the RSC (2001-2003).