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Javier Francisco Ortega

Javier Francisco Ortega

Professor

Biological Sciences; International Center for Tropical Botany

Office: OE 242

Phone: 305-348-2080

Email: ortegaj@fiu.edu

Curriculum Vitae

Prof. Javier Francisco Ortega's main research interest is plant systematics with a focus on using molecular methods to establish phylogenetic relationships among taxa. However, he also uses "traditional" tools to address questions in this area; they include electron microscopy, morphometrics, anatomy, nomenclature, and biogeography. He has an interest in conservation; therefore, several of his projects focus on threatened species. Many of these projects use molecular markers tailored either for population genetics (microsatellites) or for phylogenetics (nucleotide sequences). He has an appointment at Montgomery Botanical Center as Kelly Research Fellow. Rooted in the strong tradition and commitment of this garden to plant exploration, his studies have a strong field component, and he also has a major interest in the history of plant exploration. Most of his studies concern plants endemic to tropical and subtropical islands, and they are conducted in close collaboration with colleagues working on these islands. Finally, his research studies make extensive use of the unique living collections of palms and cycads housed in Montgomery Botanical Center (MBC). As a FIU-Biology tenured faculty he is also an active member of the FIU International Center for Tropical Botany at the Kampong (ICTB). Prof. Francisco Ortega has published over 200 research papers, and over 50 popular articles.

As an educator and plant researcher, he believes firmly that scientists have strong responsibilities to the community and the environment. Both the ICTB and MBC have a commitment for graduate education. Furthermore, they provide graduate students with great opportunities for their research results to be shared with the public, Garden members, and school students and teachers. His two main undergraduate courses target freshmen (General Biology 2, BSC2011) and seniors (Caribbean Island Biodiversity, BSC4363), and his teaching is rooted in active learning approaches. As an educator he is engaged in the VOCES and the SoTL pedagogical programs of FIU. Concerning, undergraduate research he regularly mentors students enrolled in the Global Learning Medalion - Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center program of FIU.

Research Interests

Plants systematics, botanical history, conservation genetics

Selected Scholarly Works & Creative Activites

Principal Investigator On

  awarded by Natural History Museum London 2016 - 2017

Co-Principal Investigator On

RCN-UBE Incubator- Incorporating a short but intensive botanical experience into formal college courses to alleviate plant blindness among undergraduate STEM students  awarded by National Science Foundation 2019 - 2022