Student Conference Presentations

2026

Jenna E. Leppek, Hannah J. LaVoie, Victoria L. McGuffin, and Ruth Waddell Smith. An Evaluation of Kinetic and Thermodynamic Approaches to Predict Evaporation of Gasoline. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, Feb. 2026 (Oral)

Tessa Monroe, Jenna E. Leppek, Hannah J. LaVoie, Ruth Waddell Smith, and Kenyon Evans-Nguyen. An Evaluation of Alternative Solvents for Forensic Fire Debris Analysis. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, Feb. 2026 (Poster)

2025

William H. Shirley, Alexander J. Jutila, Kelly Waters, Anthony Grigsby, M. Eric Benbow, and Ruth Waddell Smith. Differentiation of Seven Forensically Relevant Blow Fly Species using Cuticular Hydrocarbon Profiles and Multivariate Analysis. SciX Conference, Covington, KY, Oct. 2026 (Oral)

Emily D. Simonis and Ruth Waddell Smith. Developing a Methamphetamine Quantification Model using ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy and Partial-Least-Squares Regression for Multi-Instrument Application. Midwestern Association of Forensic Scientists Fall Meeting, Columbus, OH, Aug. 2025 (Oral)

Jenna E. Leppek, Hannah J. LaVoie, Victoria L. McGuffin, and Ruth Waddell Smith. Evaluation of a Kinetic Model to Predict Evaporation of Gasoline at Elevated Temperatures. Midwestern Association of Forensic Scientists Fall Meeting, Columbus, OH, Aug. 2025 (Oral)

Andrew J. Wendel, Brian C. Hunter, and Ruth Waddell Smith. Evaluating Variability in Fired Cartridge Residue (FCR) from Handloaded Ammunition. American Chemical Society Spring Meeting, San Diego, CA, Mar. 2025 (Oral)

Alexandra R. Rahn, Victoria L. McGuffin, and Ruth Waddell Smith. Effect of Mass Spectral Selection on Discrimination of Fentanyl Analog Positional Isomers. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD, Feb. 2025 (Poster)

Alexander J. Jutila, William H. Shirley, and Ruth Waddell Smith. Changes in Cuticular Hydrocarbon Profiles of a Single Blow Fly Species as a Function of Developmental Stage and Preservation Method. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD, Feb. 2025 (Poster)

2024

William H. Shirley and Ruth Waddell Smith. Cuticular Hydrocarbon Profiles of Blowflies to Improve Postmortem Interval (PMI) Estimation. American Chemical Society Fall Meeting, Denver, CO, Aug. 2024 (Poster)

Hannah LaVoie, Victoria L. McGuffin, and Ruth Waddell Smith. The Ruggedness of a Kinetic Model to Predict Chromatograms of Gasoline Under Different Evaporation Conditions. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, Feb. 2024 (Oral)

2022

Andrew Sacha, Victoria L. McGuffin, and Ruth Waddell Smith. Distinction of Cathinone Isomers and Fentanyl Isomers based on Statistical Comparison of Mass Spectra. Northeastern Association of Forensic Scientists Annual Meeting, Niagra Falls, NY, Oct. 2022 (Oral)

Andrew Sacha, Victoria L. McGuffin, and Ruth Waddell Smith. Evaluating the Robustness and Ruggedness of a Statistical Method to Compare Mass Spectra. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, Feb. 2022 (Oral, hybrid)

2021

Otyllia R. Abraham and Ruth Waddell Smith. Optical and Chemical Characterization and Identification of Crystalline Structures in Cannabis Solvent Extracts. SciX Conference, Oct. 2021 (Oral, virtual)

2020

Amber L. Gerheart and Ruth Waddell Smith. Comparison of Multivariate Statistical Models to Classify Fentanyl Analogs According to Structural Subclass. Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy, Chicago, IL, Mar. 2020 (Poster)

Hannah K. Clause, Victoria L. McGuffin, and Ruth Waddell Smith. Investigating the Robustness of a Statistical Method to Compare Mass Spectra of Fentanyl Analogs. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Anaheim, CA, Feb. 2020 (Oral)

Briana A. Capistran, Victoria L. McGuffin, and Ruth Waddell Smith. Practical Application of a Kinetic Model to Generate Predicted Reference Collections for the Identification of Ignitable Liquids in Fire Debris Samples. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Anaheim, CA, Feb. 2020 (Oral)

Amanda L. Setser, Victoria L. McGuffin, and Ruth Waddell Smith. Refinement and Application of a Kinetic Model to Predict Evaporation of Gasoline for Fire Debris Analysis. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Anaheim, CA, Feb. 2020 (Oral)

2019

Rebecca L. Boyea and Ruth Waddell Smith. Statistical Association of Fired Cartridge Residues using PCA and HCA. Northeastern Association of Forensic Scientists, Lancaster, PA, Nov. 2019 (Poster)

Briana A. Capistran, Victoria L. McGuffin, and Ruth Waddell Smith. Generating Reference Collections of Evaporated Liquids using a Kinetic-Based Model. Midwestern Association of Forensic Scientists Fall Meeting, Louisville, KY, Oct. 2019 (Oral)

Otyllia R. Abraham and Ruth Waddell Smith. Characterization and Identification of Crystalline Structures within Butane Hash Oil (BHO). Midwestern Association of Forensic Scientists Fall Meeting, Louisville, KY, Oct. 2019 (Oral)

Amber Gerheart and Ruth Waddell Smith. Development and Optimization of a Linear Discriminant Analysis Model to Classify Fentanyl Analogs According to Structural Subclass. Midwestern Association of Forensic Scientists Fall Meeting, Louisville, KY, Oct. 2019 (Poster)

Emma L. Stuhmer, Victoria L. McGuffin, and Ruth Waddell Smith. Statistical Comparison of Mass Spectral Data for Positional Isomer Differentiation. Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy, Philadelphia, PA, Mar. 2019 (NIJ Poster)

Emma L. Stuhmer, Victoria L. McGuffin, and Ruth Waddell Smith. Statistical Comparison of Mass Spectral Data for Positional Isomer Differentiation. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD, Feb. 2019 (Poster)

2018

Trevor E. Curtis and Ruth Waddell Smith. Chemical Characterization of Tattoo Inks to Aid in Identification of Highly Decomposed Remains. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, Feb. 2018 (Oral)

Natasha K. Eklund, Victoria L. McGuffin, and Ruth Waddell Smith. Refinement of a Mathematical Model to Predict Evaporation of Gasoline. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, Feb. 2018 (Poster)

Amanda L. Setser and Ruth Waddell Smith. Classification of Synthetic Phenethylamines According to Structural Subclass using Multivariate Statistical Procedures. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, Feb. 2018 (Poster)

2017

Alexandria L. Anstett, David E. Alonso, A. Daniel Jones, and Ruth Waddell Smith. Development of a Characterization Scheme for Emerging Synthetic Phenethylamines. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, Feb. 2017 (Poster)

2016

Fanny Chu, A. Daniel Jones, and Ruth Waddell Smith. Strategies for Classification and Annotation of Novel Synthetic Designer Drugs. American Society for Mass Spectrometry Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, June 2016 (Poster)

Cyntia Kaeser, A. Daniel Jones, and Ruth Waddell Smith. Differentiation of Cathinone Isomers using High-Resolution Collision-Induced Dissociation Mass Spectrometry (CID-MS). American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, Feb. 2016 (Oral)

Alexandria Anstett, Fanny Chu, and Ruth Waddell Smith. Characterization of Synthetic Phenethylamines using High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, Feb. 2016 (Oral)

Trevor Curtis, John Buchweitz, and Ruth Waddell Smith. Elemental Composition of Tattoo Inks as an Identification Tool. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, Feb. 2016 (Poster)

Kristen L. Reese, A. Daniel Jones, and Ruth Waddell Smith. Differentiation of Commercial Ammunition Sources of Unburned and Corresponding Burned Smokeless Powders based on Chemical Composition using Mass Spectrometry and Principal Components Analysis. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, Feb. 2016 (Poster)

2015

Alexandria Anstett and Ruth Waddell Smith. Absolute and Kendrick Mass Defects for the Characterization of Synthetic Phenethylamines According to Structural Subclass. Midwestern Association of Forensic Scientists Fall Meeting, Mackinac Island, MI, Sep. 2015 (Poster)

Trevor E. Curtis, John Buchweitz, and Ruth Waddell Smith. Elemental Analysis of Tattoo Inks for Color Differentiation. Midwestern Association of Forensic Scientists Fall Meeting, Mackinac Island, MI, Sep. 2015 (Poster)

Fanny Chu and Ruth Waddell Smith. Mass Defect Filters for the Classification of Emerging Synthetic Designer Drug Analogs. American Society for Mass Spectrometry Annual Meeting, St. Louis, MO, June 2015 (Poster)

Fanny Chu and Ruth Waddell Smith. Quantification of Controlled Substances in Simulated Samples using ATR-FTIR and Principal Components Regression. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL, Feb. 2015 (Oral)

Rebecca J. Brehe, John W. McIlroy, Ruth Waddell Smith, and Victoria L. McGuffin. Mathematical Modeling of Evaporated Petroleum Distillate Standards. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL, Feb. 2015 (Poster)

Student Authored Publications

Sacha AM, Willis IC, McGuffin VL, Waddell Smith R. Identifying Reliable Ions for the Statistical Differentiation of Structurally Similar Fentanyl Analogs. Journal of Forensic Sciences 2023, 68, 1527.

Abraham OR, Waddell Smith R. Optical and Spectroscopic Characterization of Crystalline Structures in Cannabis Extracts. Journal of Forensic Sciences 2022, 67, 483.

Burkhart AL, Waddell Smith R, McGuffin VL. Measuring Evaporation Rate Constants of Highly Volatile Compounds for Use in Predictive Models. Analytica Chimica Acta 2021, 1182, 338932.

Capistran BA, McGuffin VL, Waddell Smith R. Application of a Kinetic Model to Predict Extracted Ion Profiles for the Identification of Evaporated Ignitable Liquids. Forensic Chemistry 2021, 24, 100340.

Stuhmer EL, McGuffin VL, Waddell Smith R. Discrimination of Seized Drug Positional Isomers based on Statistical Comparison of Electron-Ionization Mass Spectra. Forensic Chemistry 2020, 20, 100261.

Eklund NK, Capistran BA, McGuffin VL, Waddell Smith R. Improvements in a Kinetic-Based Model to Predict Evaporation of Gasoline. Forensic Chemistry 2020, 17, 100194.

Bodnar Willard MA, Hurd JE, Waddell Smith R, McGuffin VL. Statistical Comparison of Mass Spectra if Salvinorins in Salvia divinorum and Related Salvia Species. Forensic Chemistry 2020, 17, 100192.

Setser AL, Waddell Smith R. Comparison of Variable Selection Methods Prior to Linear Discriminant Analysis Classification of Synthetic Phenethylamines and Tryptamines. Forensic Chemistry 2018, 11, 77-86.

McIlroy JW, Waddell Smith R, McGuffin VL. Fixed- and Variable-Temperature Models to Predict Evaporation of Petroleum Distillates for Fire Debris Applications. Special Issue: Advances in Fire Debris Analysis, Separations 2018, (4), 47.

Anstett A, Chu F, Alonso DE, Waddell Smith R. Characterization of 2C-Phenethylamines using High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry and Kendrick Mass Defect Filters. Forensic Chemistry 2018, 7, 47-55.

Reese KL, Jones AD, Waddell Smith R. Characterization of Smokeless Powders using Multiplexed Collision-Induced Dissociation Mass Spectrometry and Chemometric Procedures. Forensic Science International 2017, 272, 16-27.

Bodnar-Willard MA, McGuffin VL, Waddell Smith R. Statistical Comparison of Mass Spectra for Identification of Amphetamine-Type Stimulants. Forensic Science International 2017, 270, 111-120.

Waddell Smith R, Brehe RJ, McIlroy JW, McGuffin, VL. Mathematically Modeling Chromatograms of Evaporated Ignitable Liquids for Fire Debris Applications. Forensic Chemistry 2016, 2, 37-45.

Hogg SR, Hunter BC, Waddell Smith R. Elemental Characterization and Discrimination of Non-Toxic Ammunition using Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis and Principal Components Analysis. Journal of Forensic Sciences 2016, 61, 35-42.

McIlroy JW, Waddell Smith R, McGuffin VL. Assessing the Effect of Data Pretreatment Procedures for Principal Components Analysis of Chromatographic Data. Forensic Science International 2015, 257, 1-12.

Recent Graduates

Alexandra Rahn

Year Entered: 2023
Year Graduated: 2025
Thesis: Investigating New Applications of a Statistical Method to Compare Mass Spectra of Seized Drug Samples
Current Position: Forensic technician (toxicology), Michigan State Police Forensic Science Division

Alexander Jutila

Year Entered: 2023
Year Graduated: 2025
Thesis: Evaluating the Effect of Larval Preservation Methods on Blow Fly Cuticular Hydrocarbon Analysis
Current Position: Laboratory Technician, Forensic Science Consultants

Hannah LaVoie

Year Entered: 2021
Year Graduated: 2025
Thesis: Evaluating the Success of a Kinetic Model to Predict Chromatograms of Ignitable Liquids under Different Evaporation Modes and in the Presence of Passive-Headspace Extraction
Current Position: Forensic examiner, Federal Bureau of Investigation

Otyllia Abraham

Year Entered: 2018
Year Graduated: 2021
Thesis: Characterization and Identification of Crystalline Structures in Cannabis Solvent Extracts
Current Position: Microscopist, Microtrace LLC

Hannah (Clause) Cavalieri (dual-degree student)

Year Entered: 2016
Year Graduated: 2020
Thesis: Investigating the Robustness of a Statistical Method to Compare Mass Spectra of Fentanyl Analogs
Current Position: Assistant professor, Northern Michigan University

Amber Gerheart

Year Entered: 2018
Year Graduated: 2020
Thesis: Comparison of Multivariate Statistical Models for Classification of Fentanyl Analogs
Current Position: Forensic chemist, Drug Enforcement Administration

Briana Capistran (dual-degree student)

Year Entered: 2016
Year Graduated: 2020
Thesis: Kinetically Modeling Total Ion Chromatograms and Extracted Ion Profiles to Identify Ignitable Liquids for Fire Debris Applications
Current Position: Field application engineer, Agilent Technologies

Rebecca Boyea (dual-degree student)

Year Entered: 2016
Year Graduated: 2020
Thesis: Association of Fired Cartridge Residues to Unburned Smokeless Powders using GC-MS and Multivariate Statistical Procedures
Current Position: Forensic chemist, New York Police Department

Emma Stuhmer

Year Entered: 2017
Year Graduated: 2019
Thesis: Statistical Comparison of Mass Spectral Data for Positional Isomer Differentiation
Current Position: Forensic chemist, Kansas Bureau of Investigation

Natasha Eklund

Year Entered: 2016
Year Graduated: 2019
Thesis: Further Investigation of a Kinetic Model to More Accurately Predict Evaporation of Gasoline
Current Position: Forensic chemist, Georgia Bureau of Investigation

Amanda (Setser) Burkhart (dual-degree student)

Year Entered: 2015
Year Graduated: 2019
Thesis: Classification of Synthetic Phenethylamines and Tryptamines using Multivariate Statistical Procedures
Current Position: Assistant professor, University of Tennessee at Martin

Trevor Curtis

Year Entered: 2014
Year Graduated: 2017
Thesis: Chemical Analysis of Tattoo Inks to Aid in the Identification of Highly Decomposed Remains
Current Position: Forensic chemist, Drug Enforcement Administration

Alexandria Anstett

Year Entered: 2014
Year Graduated: 2017
Thesis: Characterization of Synthetic Phenethylamines using Low-Resolution and High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry
Current Position: Forensic chemist, U.S. Customs & Border Patrol

Cynthia (Kaeser) Tran (dual-degree student)

Year Entered: 2011
Year Graduated: 2016
Thesis: Synthetic Cathinone Characterization and Isomer Identification using Energy-Resolved Tandem Mass Spectrometry (MS/MS)
Current Position: Associate professor, Eastern Kentucky University

Barbara Fallon

Year Entered: 2012
Year Graduated: 2016
Thesis: A Tale of Two Corchorus Species: Jute and its Substitutes in Commercial Goods
Current Position: Forensic examiner, Federal Bureau of Investigation

Kristen Reese (dual-degree student)

Year Entered: 2012
Year Graduated: 2016
Thesis: Association and Differentiation of Corresponding Unburned and Burned Smokeless Powders utilizing Physical Characteristics, Chemical Characteristics, and Multivariate Statistical Analysis
Current Position: Research chemist, Food and Drug Administration

Rebecca Brehe

Year Entered: 2013
Year Graduated: 2015
Thesis: Overcoming Challenges in Fire Debris Analysis Caused by Evaporation
Current Position: Laboratory scientist, RD Laboratories

Fanny Chu (dual-degree student)

Year Entered: 2013
Year Graduated: 2015
Thesis: Improving Methods for the Analysis of Amphetamine-Type Stimulants
Current Position: Data scientist, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Jordyn Geiger

Year Entered: 2012
Year Graduated: 2014
Thesis: Development of Class Reference Standards for Multivariate Statistical Analysis of Fire Debris
Current Position: Forensic chemist, Michigan State Police Forensic Science Division

John McIlroy (dual-degree student)

Year Entered: 2007
Year Graduated: 2014
Thesis: Effects of Data Pretreatment on the Multivariate Statistical Analysis of
Chemically Complex Samples
Current Position: Forensic chemist, Drug Enforcement Administration

Job Placements

Recent graduates of our program are employed as forensic scientists in a variety of agencies including:

Michigan State Police Forensic Science Division
Georgia Bureau of Investigation
New York Police Department
Kansas Bureau of Investigation
Texas Department of Public Safety
Drug Enforcement Administration
Federal Bureau of Investigation
US Customs and Border Patrol
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Microtrace LLC

Additionally, a number of dual-degree students (Ph.D. Chemistry, M.S. Forensic Science) are employed as faculty members at the following institutions:

Eastern Kentucky University
Northern Michigan University
University of Tennessee at Martin

Program Performance (2005-2025)

Number of Entering Students: 59
Number of Graduates: 46
Number of Current Students: 8
Full-Time Students: 6
Part-Time Students: 2

Forensic Science

Master of Science