Nicola is an expert synthetic inorganic chemist with a background in f-block chemistry and catalysis. Nicola completed her PhD at the University of Edinburgh before postdoc positions with Profs. Polly Arnold and Jason Love. Nicola then crossed into catalysis from an organic chemistry perspective working in the Watson group in St Andrews. In 2019 Nicola moved to Glasgow as Research group coordinator for the Cronin group and Senior Researcher in the Digital Chemistry section and in 2022 Nicola was awarded an EPSRC Open Fellowship to start the Bell Group.

Outside of the lab Nicola has a passion for supporting women and minorities in STEM and in engaging with politicians to ensure the use of evidence in policy making.