Nombre: Dra. Graciela Ramírez Toro
Título: Directora CECIA
email: gramirez@inter.edu
Bio: Dr. Graciela I. Ramírez-Toro is Director of the Center for Environmental Education, Conservation and Research of the Inter American University of Puerto Rico (CECIA-IAU). In this role, she oversees the integration of environmental topics in all academic programs of the University and promotes community outreach and an aggressive research program leading to the integration of scientists, government and community in the investigation and remediation of environmental problems in Puerto Rico, the Continental U.S. and the exterior. Dr. Ramírez-Toro has consulted with State, Commonwealth and Federal agencies including the EPA, and has served on the National Drinking Water Advisory Council and the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council. She has over 100 publications in environmental science and was recognized with the Environmental Water Quality Award by U.S. EPA, Region 2 for the development of CECIA programs in 1997, and for her work with small potable water systems in 2006. Dr. Ramírez-Toro earned a Masters degree from Hood College in Frederick, Maryland and a Ph.D. from Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Nombre: Dra. Melitza Crespo-Medina
Título: Profesora Investigadora
email: melitzacm@inter.edu
Bio: Dr. Crespo-Medina, obtained her PhD in 2008 from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, where she did research on mercury resistant microorganisms from deep-sea hydrothermal vents. During her PhD studies, Dr. Crespo-Medina was awarded the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and worked mentoring minority students as for programs such as Bridges and Rise at Rutgers. Her postdoctoral work at University of Georiga, East Carolina University and Michigan State University included the study of microbial diversity at extreme environments such as deep-sea brine lakes from the Gulf of Mexico, high pH springs from California, Italy and Costa Rica, and the microbial methane oxidation following the 2010 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill. Dr. Crespo has collected samples from the deep-sea on board of the DSV Alvin several times to collect samples for her research. In addition to the study of microbial diversity at Costa Rica’s springs, Dr. Crespo-Medina is also working on the identification of pathogens causing gastrointestinal diseases on costumers of Small Potable Water Systems in Puerto Rico and in the identification of Salmonella species from marine and fresh water samples.
Nombre: Francheska Nadal Vega
Título: Oficial Administrativo I
email: fnadal@inter.edu
Nombre: Adriana Cruz Silva
Título: Oficial Administrativo I
email: adriana_cruz@inter.edu