Martina Giselle Ramirez

Dean of Natural Sciences and Professor of Biology

B.S., Loyola Marymount University
Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz

Programs: Biology

Martina Giselle Ramirez came to St. Norbert in 2022 from Loyola Marymount University (LMU), where she held the rank of tenured full professor in the Department of Biology. From 2014-2021, she also served the LMU Office of the Provost in three consecutive roles: Director of Undergraduate Research; Special Assistant to the Provost for Technology-Enhanced Learning; and Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence. Prior to LMU, Dr. Ramirez was a professor at Pomona College, Bucknell University, Denison University, and East Stroudsburg University. Ramirez has received the Rudinica Award for Student-Faculty Research from LMU’s Seaver College of Science & Engineering (2012); a Biology Mentor Award from the Council on Undergraduate Research (2013); and an LGBTQ+ Mentor Award from LMU’s LGBT Student Services Office (2016). Along with having published 19 scientific papers, including 13 with undergraduate student co-authors, Ramirez is also co-author of a book, Happier as a Woman: Transforming Friendships, Transforming Lives (Cleis Press, 2019).

As an arachnologist, Ramirez and her undergraduate researchers (Spider Lab) study selected biological phenomena in three areas: conservation genetics, reproductive biology, and environmental toxicology. With conservation genetics, they want to better understand the pattern, process and conservation significance of genetic variation in non-social spiders. With reproductive biology, they want to elucidate the factors (e.g., physiological, behavioral) which influence the mating frequency of female spiders. With environmental toxicology, they want to document the biomagnification of toxins (their tendency to concentrate as they move up food chains) and their impact on spiders.


Courses
IDIS 101 First-Year Seminar: Minorities & Women in Science