Oriana Ovide completed bachelor's degrees in Forensic and Investigative Science (Forensic Chemistry Emphasis) and Chemistry in 2020. She then moved on to complete her master's degree in Forensic and Investigative Science (Forensic Chemistry Emphasis) in 2022. In this interview, Oriana shares her experience at WVU, in her majors, and how these have impacted her everyday work for Texas Department of Public Safety.
Twelve undergraduate students from the Forensic and Investigative Science Department presented their projects at the WVU Spring Undergraduate Research Symposium (WVU URS) held on April 20, 2024 in the WVU MountainLair.
In the article by ForensicsCollege.com, Dr. Jackson from West Virginia University was able to answer questions about the forensic chemistry field ranging from misconceptions in pop culture to current development of instruments. The rest of the article offers information about career outlook, levels of forensic chemistry degrees, and accreditation.
Presumptive color tests are often used in the field of forensics to help identify the presence of a potential drug. In recent years, Dr. Luis Arroyo and his team have worked on finding a better way to detect drugs as part of a National Institute of Justice-funded study. With the use of screen-printed carbon electrodes and Raman spectroscopy, they have been able to find a drug identification method that is more accurate than the presumptive color tests and that can be used both in labs and in the field.
