Meet The Siblings

The Oldest Brother 

Luis R. Martínez-Torres, Ph.D.

Ralph is an associate professor at the University of Florida, where his laboratory is a magnet for trainees from historically underrepresented groups (HUGs). His research focuses on elucidating the mechanisms of fungal brain invasion and colonization in immunocompromised individuals. Luis is well-published and funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He serves on the editorial boards of mBio and Infection and Immunity. He is the interim chair of the American Society of Microbiology’s (AMS) subcommittee on Microbiological Issues Impacting Minorities. Martinez is particularly interested in engaging URM in the scientific dialogue as well as promoting an inclusive environment at ASM. He was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS) Leshner Leadership Institute for Public Engagement with Science in Infectious Diseases cohort. He is an active advocate of scientific citizenship and is involved in diversity issues in the natural sciences and medicine. Martinez is currently the Profession of Microbiology track leader for ASM Microbe. He has taught in several minority-serving institutions at the community college, liberal arts, doctoral, dental, and medical school levels. He serves on external advisory committees for NIH-funded programs focused on increasing HUGs in STEM. Ralph lives in Gainesville, FL with his wife Dr. Karina Alviña, and his three sons.​

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• M.B.A. | Pace University, New York, New York: Lubin School of Business

• Ph.D. | Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York: Microbiology and Immunology

• M.S. | Long Island University, Brooklyn, New York: Biology

• B.S. | University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico: Industrial Microbiology

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The Middle Child

Iris S. Martinez-Torres, DrPH.

Sully is a junior faculty member and Assistant Professor at the Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU), where she teaches Public Health Program courses on data analysis based on priority health problems, integrating concepts of biostatistics and epidemiology for public health advocacy, and education in health and disease prevention. She is also the Community Coordinator of the Public Health Program at PHSU, where she develops multiple educational interventions for the marginalized communities near the campus. Sully serves as a co-investigator of the EPINET and Co-leader research project on the education and health promotion component for the prevention of COVID-19 and the increase of COVID-19 PCR tests in socially vulnerable communities. Sully has an extensive experience working in the promotion of health programs and disease prevention aimed at high-risk populations such as the prison population, medically indigent populations insured by the government health plan of Puerto Rico, and university populations in primary prevention of disease. Sully was the recipient of the Carmen G. Rossy Award (2003) and the Ponce Health Education Foundation Academic Award (2017). She lives in Ponce, PR with her husband Ramón and three children.

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• P.H.D. | Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, Puerto Rico: Epidemiology

• M.P.H. | Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, Puerto Rico: Public Health Education

• B.A. | University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, Puerto Rico: Public Health Education

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The Youngest Brother

Pablo L. Martínez-Torres, Ed.D.

Pablo is the World Languages (WL) Curriculum and Foreign Exchange Specialist for Polk County Public Schools (PCPS), where he directs the WL Program in 36 schools in central Florida. Pablo led the shifting of instructional approaches to second language acquisition in WL classrooms in PCPS, charter schools, and other Florida districts. He has encouraged and trained teachers on the use of innovative strategies geared towards meaning acquisition and classroom climate improvements such as Comprehensible Input, Virtual Reality, Total Proficiency Reading Storytelling, Free Voluntary Reading, ClipChat, Tech Apps, Brain Breaks and Flexible Seating. He is the former president of the Florida Foreign Language Managers of Education (FFLAME). In 2017, Pablo was the recipient of the WL Supervisor of the Year Award in Florida. Pablo is a professor at Ana G. Mendez University, the only higher ed. institution in the US with dual-language undergrad and graduate programs. He also is the Director of multiple dissertation committees for the Second Language Research Ph.D. program at Inter-American University. He collaborates with WL organizations as a leader, keynote speaker, and presenter, with school districts as an independent consultant, and with local newspapers and textbook companies as a freelance writer and reviewer. Pablo lives in Lakeland, FL with his wife Karla, and daughter Adrianna Zoe. 

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• Ed.D. | Florida Southern College, Lakeland, Florida: Educational Leadership

• M.S.I.R. | Troy University, Tampa Bay, Florida: International Relations-Global Affairs

• B.A. | University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, Puerto Rico: Secondary Education

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