Murrell Godfrey
Director of the Forensic Chemistry Program & Associate Professor
Research Interests 
Determination of illicit and prescription drug use in fingerprints, hair, biological fluids, and wastewater; ancestral genealogy of humans using mDNA; determination of arson and accelerants; characterization and detection of synthetic cannabinoids; computational methods for the detection of drug of abuse; ancestral genealogy of marijuana plants.
About Me:
My administrative duties include revising the program’s curriculum as needed, recruiting and retaining the brightest young minds, developing students’ research skills through the use of high-tech analytical techniques from spectroscopic and optical methods (ultraviolet/visible, infrared, X-ray) to separation analyses (gas chromatography, HPLC, and thin-layer chromatography), and providing majors with academic and career advising. A master’s degree in forensic chemistry is being planned.
Professional Recognition:
Vice President of NOBCChE (July 2017-present)
2016 Black History Month Diversity Award for Excellence (Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning)
2016 Kenneth S. Field Award of Appreciation for Outstanding Service to the American Academy of Forensic Science Staff
Director of Forensic Chemistry Program (Fall 2015-present)
Forensic Science Education Program Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) Commissioner: Selected December 2015 (term: January 2016–January 2021)
And More
Representative Publications:
Gul, W., Stamper, B.J., Godfrey, M., Gul,S.W., ElSohly, M.A. (2016) LC-MS-MS Method for the
Analysis of Benzodiazepines in Wastewater During Football Games IV. Journal of Analytical Toxicology. In press.
Gul, W., Stamper, B.J., Godfrey, M., Gul,S.W., ElSohly, M.A. (2016) LC-MS-MS Method for the
Analysis of Miscellaneous Drugs in Wastewater During Football Games III. Journal of Analytical Toxicology. 40 (8), 694-699.
Gul, W., Stamper, B.J., Godfrey, M., Gul, S.W., ElSohly, M.A. (2016) LC7MS/MS Method for Analysis
of Opiates in Wastewater during Football Games II. Journal of Analytical Toxicology. 40 (5), 330-337.
Gul W., Stamper B., Godfrey M., and ElSohly, M.A. (2016). LC–MS-MS Method for Stimulants in
Wastewater During Football Games. Journal of Analytical Toxicology. 40 (2), 124-132.
Reidy L., Kaixuan B., Godfrey M., and Cizdziel, J.V. (2013). Elemental Fingerprinting of Soils Using
ICP-MS and Multivariate Statistics: A study for and by Forensic Chemistry Majors. Forensic Science International. 233:37-44.
Wilstermann, A. M.; Bender, R. P.; Godfrey, M.; Choi, S.; Anklin, C.; Berkowitz, D. B.; Osheroff, N.; Graves, D. E. (2007) Topoisomerase II-Drug Interaction Domains: Identification of Substituents on Etoposide that Interact with the Enzyme. Biochemistry. 46:8217-8225.
Kerri Scott
Associate Director of Forensic Chemistry & Instructional Associate Professor
Research Interests
Chemical education; undergraduate laboratory curriculum development; teaching strategies for large enrollment laboratory courses; secondary education teacher and teaching assistant training/development; online instruction; statistical studies of predictors for student success in chemistry courses.
About Me:
As the Associate Director of Forensic Chemistry as well as an Instructional Associate Professor, I help students by providing forensic majors with academic and career advising as well as teaching both chemistry and forensic classes. My administrative duties include recruiting and retaining the brightest young minds, developing students’ forensic skills through the application of chemical principles and scientific methodology as well as the analysis of forensic evidence, such as glass, soil, fingerprints, paint, firearms, and arson debris, developing students’ research skills through the teaching the theory and practice of chemical analysis, and providing majors with academic and career advising.
Professional Recognition:
National Academic Advising Association Outstanding Faculty Advisor
University of Mississippi Student Disability Student Services Access Award
Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society
Mississippi Association of Nutrition and Dietetics Magnolia Award
University of Mississippi Excellence in Advising Award
Alpha Omicron Pi Women of Excellence
American Chemical Society Local Section Excellence in Faculty Advising and Mentorship