Loretta Selmartin holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the Papua New Guinea University of Technology and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the University of Goroka. She also completed coursework for a Master of Science in Plant Biotechnology in 2018. Her professional background encompasses training at the National Development Bank, work with the ABT Associates Partnership for Improving Education (PIE) Project, and several years as a secondary school educator. She is currently pursuing a Master of Philosophy in Agriculture funded by the EU-FCCB Scholarship Programme.

Her research focuses on soil chemistry, with particular attention to soil carbon stock across various plantation and agricultural land-use systems. Motivated by the growing imperative for climate change mitigation, Loretta’s work investigates how different crop types and farming systems can help maintain soil as a significant carbon sink. Her research aims to contribute scientific knowledge on the mechanisms underlying soil carbon retention, offering insights that connect agricultural practice with environmental sustainability and climate action.