Kristina Martinet Presents at American Academy of Forensic Sciences
Kristina Martinet, Forensic Science Major in the College of Arts and Sciences at Loyola University Chicago, Presents at AAFS National Conference
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Kristina Martinet, a Forensic Science major in the College of Arts and Sciences at Loyola University Chicago, presented at the 2024 American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Conference earlier this year in Denver.
"Congratulations to Kristina on this incredible accomplishment," said Peter J. Schraeder, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. "Offering undergraduate students the opportunity to participate in research is a central priority for the College. Credit to both our faculty and students who have dedicated their time, talents and passions to making moments like this possible, as it truly enriches the College of Arts and Sciences experience.”
The 76th annual AAFS National Conference, which took place in February 2024, was centered on the theme of ‘Promoting Justice for All and Integrity through Forensic Science.’ The Conference is the largest meeting of the forensic science community annually.
Getting first-hand experience in research as an undergraduate is a cornerstone of the College of Arts and Sciences innovative approach to undergraduate research that CAS champions on a national scale.
Martinet presented her research on the analysis of terpenes and terpenoids. These compounds are believed to have medicinal benefits and are responsible for the aroma characteristics in plants, including hops and cannabis. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), cannabis contains more than 150 types of terpenes, which naturally give off the distinctive odor and pigmentation of the leaves and buds. Terpenes also provide the therapeutic and medicinal benefits that cannabis is well known for.
"The research process seemed really daunting at first, but once I got into it, I loved the problem-solving aspect of it. One thing I learned from doing research is to expect the unexpected and learn from what went wrong," said Martinet.
James DeFrancesco is the program director for Forensic Science and collaborated with Martinet in his lab to develop an optimized method for separation and identification using Gas Chromatography-Electron Impact-Mass Spectrometry (GC-EI-MS). This method analyzes small and volatile molecules, such as terpenes and terpenoids, by separating the complex mixtures and identifying unknown peaks to determine trace levels of contamination. "Terpenes aren't a widely studied part of cannabis so we wanted to work on a way for scientists to be able to separate terpenes from the plant and identify them," noted Kristina.
"Doing research with Dr. DeFrancesco was a great experience because he has so much knowledge in our field,” said Martinet. “He was able to impart that knowledge while also letting us learn how to do research and run a research project. Dr. DeFrancesco was the one that encouraged me to apply for the AAFS conference and helped me every step of the way."
“The conference turned into a huge learning experience and boosted my confidence as a future scientist."
"Presenting my research at such a big conference was scary. As an undergraduate, I felt a lot of imposter syndrome going into it. My mentors assured me that the work I did meant something, and people will be excited to see it. At the conference I was able to hear from pioneers in the forensic field and meet a ton of people within the field,” Martinet said.
Learn more about the conference here.
Kristina is set to graduate with a degree in Forensic Science in May 2024 and plans to start her new job in forensic toxicology at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene.
About the College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences is the oldest of Loyola University Chicago’s 15 schools, colleges, and institutes. More than 150 years since its founding, the College is home to 20 academic departments and 37 interdisciplinary programs and centers, more than 450 full-time faculty, and nearly 8,000 students. The 2,000+ classes that we offer each semester span an array of intellectual pursuits, ranging from the natural sciences and computational sciences to the humanities, the social sciences, and the fine and performing arts. Our students and faculty are engaged internationally at our campus in Rome, Italy, as well as at dozens of University-sponsored study abroad and research sites around the world. Home to the departments that anchor the University’s Core Curriculum, the College seeks to prepare all of Loyola’s students to think critically, to engage the world of the 21st century at ever deepening levels, and to become caring and compassionate individuals. Our faculty, staff, and students view service to others not just as one option among many, but as a constitutive dimension of their very being. In the truest sense of the Jesuit ideal, our graduates strive to be “individuals for others.”
Kristina Martinet, a Forensic Science major in the College of Arts and Sciences at Loyola University Chicago, presented at the 2024 American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Conference earlier this year in Denver.
"Congratulations to Kristina on this incredible accomplishment," said Peter J. Schraeder, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. "Offering undergraduate students the opportunity to participate in research is a central priority for the College. Credit to both our faculty and students who have dedicated their time, talents and passions to making moments like this possible, as it truly enriches the College of Arts and Sciences experience.”
The 76th annual AAFS National Conference, which took place in February 2024, was centered on the theme of ‘Promoting Justice for All and Integrity through Forensic Science.’ The Conference is the largest meeting of the forensic science community annually.
Getting first-hand experience in research as an undergraduate is a cornerstone of the College of Arts and Sciences innovative approach to undergraduate research that CAS champions on a national scale.
Martinet presented her research on the analysis of terpenes and terpenoids. These compounds are believed to have medicinal benefits and are responsible for the aroma characteristics in plants, including hops and cannabis. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), cannabis contains more than 150 types of terpenes, which naturally give off the distinctive odor and pigmentation of the leaves and buds. Terpenes also provide the therapeutic and medicinal benefits that cannabis is well known for.
"The research process seemed really daunting at first, but once I got into it, I loved the problem-solving aspect of it. One thing I learned from doing research is to expect the unexpected and learn from what went wrong," said Martinet.
James DeFrancesco is the program director for Forensic Science and collaborated with Martinet in his lab to develop an optimized method for separation and identification using Gas Chromatography-Electron Impact-Mass Spectrometry (GC-EI-MS). This method analyzes small and volatile molecules, such as terpenes and terpenoids, by separating the complex mixtures and identifying unknown peaks to determine trace levels of contamination. "Terpenes aren't a widely studied part of cannabis so we wanted to work on a way for scientists to be able to separate terpenes from the plant and identify them," noted Kristina.
"Doing research with Dr. DeFrancesco was a great experience because he has so much knowledge in our field,” said Martinet. “He was able to impart that knowledge while also letting us learn how to do research and run a research project. Dr. DeFrancesco was the one that encouraged me to apply for the AAFS conference and helped me every step of the way."
“The conference turned into a huge learning experience and boosted my confidence as a future scientist."
"Presenting my research at such a big conference was scary. As an undergraduate, I felt a lot of imposter syndrome going into it. My mentors assured me that the work I did meant something, and people will be excited to see it. At the conference I was able to hear from pioneers in the forensic field and meet a ton of people within the field,” Martinet said.
Learn more about the conference here.
Kristina is set to graduate with a degree in Forensic Science in May 2024 and plans to start her new job in forensic toxicology at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene.
About the College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences is the oldest of Loyola University Chicago’s 15 schools, colleges, and institutes. More than 150 years since its founding, the College is home to 20 academic departments and 37 interdisciplinary programs and centers, more than 450 full-time faculty, and nearly 8,000 students. The 2,000+ classes that we offer each semester span an array of intellectual pursuits, ranging from the natural sciences and computational sciences to the humanities, the social sciences, and the fine and performing arts. Our students and faculty are engaged internationally at our campus in Rome, Italy, as well as at dozens of University-sponsored study abroad and research sites around the world. Home to the departments that anchor the University’s Core Curriculum, the College seeks to prepare all of Loyola’s students to think critically, to engage the world of the 21st century at ever deepening levels, and to become caring and compassionate individuals. Our faculty, staff, and students view service to others not just as one option among many, but as a constitutive dimension of their very being. In the truest sense of the Jesuit ideal, our graduates strive to be “individuals for others.”