Silvana Martini

Dr. Silvana Martini obtained her BSc in Biochemistry in 1997 and a PhD in Chemistry from the University of La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina. She spent 2 years in the Department of Food Science at the University of Guelph as a Postdoctoral Researcher and joined the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences in Utah State University in November 2005 as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Martini was promoted to Associate Professor in 2011 and to Full Professor in 2016. In 2018 Dr. Martini was appointed as director of the Aggie Chocolate Factory at Utah State University. Dr. Martini’s research interests are related to the physicochemical and sensorial characterization of lipids. She studies how the quality of food materials is affected by their nano-, micro- and macroscopic characteristics. She is a pioneer in the use of high-intensity ultrasound to change the physical properties of fats. Over the years Dr. Martini published more than 120 papers in peer-reviewed journals, participated in more than 190 conferences, was an invited speaker in more than 30 international conferences, and published 11 book chapters. Dr. Martini has trained several undergraduate researchers, PhD, and MS students and received various international scholars in her lab. Dr. Martini received several local and international awards such as the Young Scientist Award from the Agricultural and Food Chemistry Division of the American Chemical Society and the Robins Award for Faculty Researcher of the Year for Utah State University, the Timothy L. Mounts Award and Fellow Award from the American Oil chemists’ Society. Dr. Martini serves as Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society and is the President of the American Oil Chemists’ Society.