Skip to main content
Green microscopic life.
ABOUT US

 

Pablo Juarbe Martinez

Senior Research Associate

pjuarbemarti2012@my.fit.edu

Pablo obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus (UPRM) in 2012. During his years as an undergraduate, he worked on a project related to the feeding ethology of a dwarf bird species, and insect collection in the Puerto Rican forests. He also worked in fish parasitology, where he acquired his microscopy skills.

In the fall of 2012, Pablo started his Master’s degree in Conservation Technology at Florida Institute of Technology.  He came to work at the Paleoecology laboratory as a Research Associate in 2013. He is now the Senior Research Associate at the Center for Applied Biogeography within the Department of Biological Sciences. He also recently completed his Master’s degree in December of 2014.Latter, in 2016 he completed a GIS Certificate with Penn State university 

His work and research interests are dedicated to palynology, including field sampling (soil and pollen), modern pollen micro-processing, mounting, and imaging. Currently, Pablo is working on processing soil samples from Central America. His work also focuses on pollen morphology and pollen database development. He also enjoys training future researchers in the field of pollen morphology.

Nicole Ward

Laboratory Manager

nbrannen2011@my.fit.edu

Nicole began her work in the Paleoecology laboratory in August of 2011 as an undergraduate researcher processing Amazonian sediment samples for charcoal. The next year, she continued her undergraduate research on a different project, which focused on megafaunal extinctions within South America.

She previously studied at Eastern Florida State College, completing an Associate in Science in Chemical Technology degree, as well as an Associate in Arts degree. She completed her Bachelor's degree in General Biology in 2012. After graduation, she returned as a Research Associate in the Paleoecology laboratory. 

She is now the Laboratory Manager for the Center for Applied Biogeography within the Department of Biological Sciences. She is currently working on a Master's in Business Administration, focusing on Project Management. The majority of her work interests are focused on palynology, with an emphasis on pollen morphology and database expansion.

Chelsey Kratochwill

Research Associate

ckratochwill2010@my.fit.edu

Chelsey graduated in December of 2014 with a Bachelor’s degree in Conservation Biology and Ecology from Florida Institute of Technology.Latter,  obtained her Master’s degree in Conservation Technology in 2016. She has previously worked with charcoal research in the Paleoecology laboratory. Presently, she is involved in pollen processing, description, and imaging for the pollen database. In the future, she is interested in working in the field of endangered species conservation.

 

Matthew Buice

Research Associate

mbuice2011@my.fit.edu

Matthew’s experience in the Paleoecology laboratory began in January of 2014. He finished his undergraduate degree in Marine Biology by 2015. His interests are in conservation and restoration of habitats and species. His future plans are in wildlife rehabilitation utilizing skills learned in the laboratory, as well as in the field, to educate the public and care for wildlife in need.

Through his volunteer work on multiple research projects within the Biology Department, Matthew was able to develop essential laboratory skills that have proven to be vital for his current research. His focus is on palynology, specializing in field sampling and pollen identification within soil samples. Presently, his work is based on samples from Southwestern United States.