Dr. Mirella Martinez is regular faculty at Florida State University – Panama in the Biological Sciences Department.  She holds a Ph.D. earned at the Wildlife and Fisheries Management Department at Texas A&M University, an MSc in Agribusiness from Arizona State University and a B.Sc. in Biology with emphasis on aquatic ecosystems, fisheries-aquaculture and development from Arizona State University.   She has served as Director of the Biological Sciences graduate programs under the Research and Graduate Studies Vice-rectorship at Universidad Católica Santa María La Antigua, Panama; also served  as Chief of Party for the EPIQ/IRG project Institutional Support for the Sustainable Environmental Management of the Panama Canal Watershed; and, as independent environmental and development consultant.

Dr. Martinez brings to the FSU community vast experience in academia, research, teaching, and consulting in the following areas: conservation biology and sustainable management of natural resources through projects such as oyster reef restoration; fisheries and polyculture of native species such as mollusks, shrimp, and fish; biology of introduction of foreign species and their impact to the aquatic environment; agribusiness; community forestry; local management of natural resources, and environmental policy.

Since 2005, Dr Martinez has been a regular Professor of Biology and Environmental Sciences at FSU-Panama. She teaches several courses in Biological and Environmental Science, amongst these: biology for non majors, Biological Science I and II, Animal Diversity, Conservation Biology, special topics and a number of DIS courses.