Jean Robertson

Head of Infrared Spectroscopy
E: jean.robertson@hutton.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)344 928 5428 (*)
Jean Robertson is an Infrared Spectroscopist and Head of the IR Section of the Analytical Group at the Institute. She has worked at the Institute in the IR Section since 2004, becoming head of the section in 2005, which encompasses both the analytical techniques of FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared) spectroscopy and NIR (Near Infrared) spectroscopy.

Research

Her expertise in FTIR spectroscopy was first developed through her PhD, awarded in 1990, in which she studied structures of organometallic compounds using this technique. Through her work at the Institute she now applies this expertise in IR spectroscopy to a wide range of naturally occurring samples. She has developed the specialist knowledge necessary for interpreting the complex FTIR spectra of minerals, soils, sediments, fungal species and vegetation. An FTIR spectrum provides a “chemical fingerprint” or chemical overview of a sample encompassing both organic and mineral components and is therefore particularly applicable to the combined study of soil mineralogy and organic matter. From the samples generated for the National Soil Inventory of Scotland a soils database has been created for which the IR section has provided high quality FTIR and NIR spectral data. Analysis of relationships between this spectral data and the other data held for the soils, including mineralogy and wax markers from vegetation input, will be a key research interest, particularly in relation to changes in soil organic matter. Another key area of research is the development of NIR calibrations for the prediction of parameters for a range of materials including soil, animal faeces and vegetation. Effective calibrations allow analysis to be provided in a quick, cheap and environmentally friendly manner and significantly extend the number of samples it is possible to work with for a given project. Development of suitable calibrations will have a potentially highly significant input into a range of ecological and environmental monitoring projects.

Publications

Journals

Books / chapters

  • Roberts, D.; Torrance, L.; Stirton, G.; Britton, A.J.; Craig, C.-A.; Kyle, C; Newman, C.; Macaulay, C.; Fielding, D.; Watson, H.; Pohle, I.; Robertson, J.; Maxwell, J.; Irvine, K.; Sutherland, L-A.; Dawson, L.A.; Shepherd, L.; Miller, P.; Ellis, R.; Richards, S.; Blok, V.; Hackett, C.; Kettle, H. (2018) Women in Science, The James Hutton Institute, 25pp

Technical / contract reports

  • Robertson, J.; Main, A.M.; K Haghi, R. (2023) Developing an FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared) spectroscopic tool for monitoring soil organic carbon, End of project report for MDT
  • Robertson, J.; Donaldson-Selby, G.; Parker, T.; Main, A.; Watson, H.; Cooper, P.; Smart, C. (2022) Analysing Carbon Losses from Peatland, Zenodo, 10.5281/zenodo.7386670.
  • Gagkas, Z.; Haghi, R.; Robertson, J.; Lilly, A. (2022) Coupling soil spectroscopy and digital soil mapping for modelling soil available water capacity, End of project report for MDT
  • Hillier, S.; Robertson, J.; Dawson, L.A. (2008) Micro-scale Approaches to Soil Evidence (micro – ASE)., Science and Technology Facilities Council: SRS Experiment Report 2008.
  • Dawson, L.A.; Delbos, E.; Hillier, S.; Robertson, J.; Ross, J.M. (2007) Analytical investigation on soils from Roman finds., Report for National Museums of Scotland, May 2007.

Conference papers

  • Robertson, A.H.J.; Wetterlind, J.; Main, A.M.; Alshihabi, O. (2019) How to minimise loss in spectral quality when going from laboratory to field measurements using a portable FTIR instrument., Global Workshop on Proximal Soil Sensing (GWPSS), Linking Soil Sensing to Management Decisions, Columbia, Missouri, 28-31 May 2019, 6pp.
  • Robertson, A.H.J.; Pérez-Fernández, E.; Baggaley, N.J.; McKenzie, B.M.; Owen, I.J.; Lilly, A. (2019) Extending predictions of soil parameters for a national dataset., In: Engelsen, S.B., Sørensen, K.M. and van den Berg, D. (eds.). Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Near Infrared Spectroscopy (ICNIRS2017), NIR Spectroscopy at Work in Industry, Copenhagen, Denmark, 11-15 June 2017. IM Publications, Chichester, pp123-127.
  • Pérez-Fernández, E.; Aitkenhead, M.; Shand, C.A.; Robertson, A.H.J. (2017) On using the precise sensor., Proceedings of the 11th European Conference in Precision Agriculture, John McIntyre Centre, Edinburgh, 16-20 July 2017. Presentation 17 July 2017.
  • Aitkenhead, M.J.; Cameron, C.; Gaskin, G.; Choisy, B.; Coull, M.C.; Black, H.I.J.; Robertson, A.H.J. (2016) The Scottish way – getting results in soil spectroscopy without spending money., European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2016 (EGU 2016), Vienna, Austria, 17-22 April 2016. Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 18, EGU2016-162.
  • Robertson, A.H.J.; Main, A.M.; Robinson, L.J.; Dawson, L.A. (2015) In situ FTIR analysis of forensic soil samples at a mock crime scene., Proceedings of the 4th Global Workshop on Proximal Soil Sensing in Hangzhou, China, 12-15 May 2015.
  • Aitkenhead, M.J.; Coull, M.C.; Robertson, A.J.H. (2013) Prediction of soil properties with NIR data and site descriptors using preprocessing and neural networks., International Workshop, Soil Spectroscopy: the present and future of Soil Monitoring, FAO HQ, Rome, Italy, 4-6 December 2013.
  • Hillier, S.; Pendlowski, H.; Fraser, T.; Robertson, J.; Delbos, E.; Phillips, I.; Gray, N.; Wilson, I. (2013) Tubular halloysite., Minerals for Life, Appleton Tower, Edinburgh, 17-19 June 2013.
  • Robertson, A.H.J. (2012) Soil composition mapping by FTIR., FTIR Session and Workshop, Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry Society’s Annual Conference 2012, Greenwich, London, 12-14 September 2012.
  • Dawson, L.A.; Czerniakiewicz, M.; Handley, K.; Hillier, S.; Robertson, J.; Ross, J.M.; Towers, W.; Donnelly, D.; Mayes, R.W. (2010) A complementary approach to the forensic analysis of soil in case investigations., International Workshop on Criminal and Environmental Soil Forensics, 3rd, Long Beach, California, 2-4 November 2010.
  • Delbos, E.; Dawson, L.A.; Hillier, S.; Robertson, J.; Ross, J.; Thornton, B. (2008) Traces of soil from archaeological artefacts: a multidisciplinary approach., International Crime Science Conference 2008, London, 17-18 July 2008.
  • Robertson, J.; Delbos, E.; Dawson, L.; Angus, K.; Morrisson, A. (2007) In situ FTIR analysis of soil evidence on clothing., Soil Forensics International Conference, Edinburgh, 30 October – 1 November 2007.
  • Hillier, S.; Dawson, L.A.; Robertson, J, Delbos, E.; Shiels, J.; Campbell, S.; Mayes, R.W.; Ross, J.M. (2007) Provenancing archaeological objects using traces of soil., Conference Proceedings, Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, 30 October – 1 November 2007.
  • Dawson, L.A.; Morrisson, A.; Macdonald, L.M.; Ross, J.M.; Mayes, R.W.; Robertson, J.; Towers, W.; Brewer, M. (2007) Soil Forensics University Network (SoilFUN) Protocols., Soil Forensics International Conference, Edinburgh, 30 October – 1 November 2007.
  • Dawson, L.A.; Morrisson, A.; Ross, J.M.; Mayes, R.W.; Robertson, J. (2007) Soil Forensics University Network (SoilFUN) Outline., Soil Forensics International Conference, Edinburgh, 30 October – 1 November 2007.

Conference posters / abstracts

  • Ghosh, U.; Afriyie, E.; Abd Elmola, A.; Hillier, S.; Robertson, J.; Baggaley, N. (2024) How should we measure clay, EGU24-1058, EGU General Assembly 2024, 14-19 April 2024, Vienna, Austria
  • Robertson, J.; Main, A.M.; K Haghi, R. (2023) FTIR A Novel Method for Assessment of Soil Health , Healthy Soils Stakeholder Meeting, 21 March 2023, Edinburgh
  • Mitchell, R.J.; Hewison, R.; Haghi, R.K.; Robertson, A.J.; Main, A.; Owen, J. (2020) Functional and ecosystem service differences between
    tree species implications for tree species replacement., British Ecological Society Annual Meeting, Edinburgh 14-17 December 2020, Online. (Poster)
  • Robertson, A.H.J.; Main, A.M.; Haghi, R. (2018) What can FTIR analysis tell you?
    , The James Hutton Institute Annual Research Symposium, Treetops Hotel, Aberdeen, 29 November 2018.
  • Robertson, A.H.J.; Pérez-Fernández, E.; Baggaley, N.J.; Lilly, A. (2017) Extending predictions of soil chemical and physical parameters for a national dataset., 18th International Conference on Near Infrared Spectroscopy (ICNIRS), Copenhagen, Denmark, 11-15 June 2017. P-101-WT, p64. (Poster)
  • Artz, R.R.E.; Smart, C.; Robertson, J.; Freitag, T. (2017) Indicators of peatland restoration success on former plantation forestry., Research in the ‘Flow Country’ IV: Thinking Big, Thurso, Caithness, 22-24 March 2017.
  • Perez-Fernández E.; Main A., Robertson, A.H.J. (2017) Comparison of mid infrared spectroscopy and near mid infrared spectroscopy for prediction of soil properties for a national spatial dataset., Pedometrics 2017, Wageningen, The Netherlands, 26 June – 1 July 2017. Book of Abstracts, p190.
  • Artz, R.R.E.; Smart, C.; Bourne, E.; Robertson, J.; Freitag, T. (2016) Indicators of peatland restoration success on former plantation forestry., IUCN Peatland Programme Conference, Creating a Legacy for Peatlands, Shropshire Conference Centre, Shrewsbury, 29 November – 1 December 2016.
    29th November – 1st December 2016
  • Stutter, M.I.; Aitkenhead, M.; Robertson, J.; Perez-Fernandez, E.; Dupuy, L.; Prashar, A. (2015) Sensing for food and environmental security., Centre of Innovation for Sensing, CENSIS Event, Glasgow, June 2015.
  • Hillier, S.; Pendlowski, H.; Fraser, T.; Robertson, J.; Delbos, E.; Phillips, I.; Gray, N.; Wilson, I. (2015) Correlations among mineralogical and physical properties of halloysite nano-tubes (HNTs)., Euroclay 2015 Conference, Edinburgh University, 5-10 July 2015.
  • Robertson, J.; Wender, R.; Shand, C.A.; Fraser, A.R. (2012) Field based soil analysis. Portable FTIR and XRF., Potatoes in Practice 2012, Balruddery Farm, Dundee.
  • Robertson, A.H.J.; Hill, H.R.; Chapman, S.J.; Lilly, A.; Hudson, G.; NSIS team. (2012) Prediction of soil bulk density by FTIR and NIR spectroscopy., EUROSOIL 2012, Soil Science for the Benefit of Mankind and Environment, 4th International Congress of the European Confederation of Soil Science Societies (ECSSS), Bari, Italy, 2-6 July 2012.
  • Dawson, L.A.; Hillier, S.J.; Macdonald, L.M.; Mayes, R.W.; Ross, J.M.; Robertson, A.H.J. (2009) Chemical profiling of soil for forensic application., Royal Society of Chemistry, 42nd IUPAC Congress: Chemistry Solutions, SECC, Glasgow, 2 -7 August 2009.
  • Macdonald, L.; Brewer, M.; Dawson, L.A.; Campbell, C.D.; Mayes, R.W.; Robertson, J.; Singh, B.K.; Towers, W.; Ross, J.M.; Bellamy, P.; Ritz, K.; Crawford, J. (2007) Exploring the forensic potential of novel soil profiling methods., Soil Forensics International Conference, Edinburgh, 30 October – 1 November 2007. Abstract and poster presentation, p46.