Tony Fraser is an internationally recognised expert on infrared spectroscopy. He joined the IR section of the Macaulay Institute (now part of hte James Hutton Institute) in 1965 and is highly experienced in the use of infrared spectroscopy for the characterisation of clay minerals, amorphous alumino-silicates and soil organic components, together with a wide range of inorganic and organic compounds. He became head of the IR section in 1990 and retired in 2003 then rejoined the Institute to work in the IR section of the Analytical Group, on a part-time basis, using IR spectroscopy to analyse commercial samples from the oil and gas sector, engineering companies, mineral industry and the food industry.