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 (now the University of 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 Polytechnic (now the University of Huddersfield). 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 2008 he became the Director of The Graduate School at Northumbria University as well as Professor of Analytical and Environmental Science s in the School of Applied Sciences.