Karen Trentelman is head of Technical Studies research, which focuses on the scientific study of works of art to further the understanding and preservation of these works in collaboration with conservators and curators. Current areas of interest include: revealing hidden layers in paintings and manuscripts using noninvasive spectroscopic and imaging technologies, and fostering integration of imaging and analytical data. She trains scientists and conservators in the application of XRF spectroscopy to the study of works of art. She holds a PhD in chemical physics from Cornell University and was a research scientist at the Detroit Institute of Arts before joining the GCI in 2004.