Seeing beauty in reptiles and amphibians comes naturally to biology’s assistant professor Pablo Delis.

To be able to see the world through someone else’s eyes, especially if they are passionate about it, is always special. When that person can open your eyes to the beauty in their world, it is an exceptional ability.

One such person with this ability is Pablo Delis. The assistant professor of biology makes his specialty, reptiles and amphibians, beautiful.

Part of the ability stems from his enthusiasm, something that permeates just about everything he says or does.

He pulls up photograph after photograph on his computer. “Look at the eyes on this frog,” he says. “Wait. Let me get one with a closer look.” You look and find he is right. The eyes are unusual. Four golden keystone-like shapes are equidistant around the iris. It’s a rare species in our area he notes.

A question about whether or not snakes have vertebrae has him searching and quickly finding a small piece of backbone from a snake. He pulls open a book and shows a photograph of a snake’s skeleton. “Look at all those ribs.” he said. He makes the observation boas and anacondas have very strong vertebrae. The impression is he might be speaking from experience.

Toads, salamanders, newts, more snakes all take their turn on his monitor. There is no doubt Pablo sees beauty in all of them as he points to details he wants you to see. It is fascinating and time flies by.

Captivating before capture. Pablo finds a pair of frogs captivating and just enjoys the moment on a recent field trip. Shortly after this, he captured the pair to record their statistics for research he is doing on various species living along the North Mountain area.

The extensive photographs are part of the data in Pablo’s on-going research. His primary focus is a long-term, comparative study into the demographics and conservation of Pennsylvania’s reptiles and amphibians. Locally he is concerned with those found in the North Mountain area near campus.

Besides recording the basics for each specimen such as location, size, sex, etc. Pablo is also interested in tracking their movements, defining their range, determining the size of their population. He looks at their behaviors and is especially interested in the why behind any changes he finds.

“Many of the species we are studying are at the edge of their range. What stops them from going further? And how are they adapting and changing this?”

In conducting his research, Pablo makes use of traditional techniques in combination with remote sensing and laboratory work in genetics and molecular biology. And he is no stranger to cooperating with colleagues near and far interested in similar topics. He is working on establishing a system of permanent interaction between Shippensburg and research institutions in Florida and Spain.

These areas are easily understood when taking a look at Pablo’s education. He grew up in Spain, was a biology major at the University of Murcia, and earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Sevilla. He came to the United States, specifically the University of South Florida, for a master’s in zoology. His doctorate, in biology, is from the University of Florida. The reason for pursuing graduate work in America was simple: “There are no large reptiles in Spain,” he laughed.

The move to Florida was a “complete shock,” according to Pablo. “It was extreme. The temperature, the drought, the hurricanes, the whole nine yards, there was nothing like it in Spain.”

While he enjoyed the fauna of Florida, including alligators, he knew it wasn’t where he wanted to establish his career. To determine where he would relocate, he had a list of criteria. “I wanted a small university where there was true interaction with students. I was burned out living in large cities, first Madrid, then Tampa, so I was looking for somewhere near cities but closer to nature.”

With that criteria in mind, Shippensburg fit the bill. A campus visit sold Pablo on the location and his colleagues. But his wife, Kim, who had her own career in the medical field, also had to like it. Obviously she did as Pablo joined the faculty in 2002.

Pablo is passionate about getting people involved and students are no exception. He sets high standards for what he wants his students to gain from his classes: full understanding of scientific methodology and the unending intricacies of the biological world.

An ongoing learning curve for his students is the proper strength for grabbing specimens that are not cooperating with staying still. “Each time I take new students into the field, they have to learn just how much strength it takes to subdue and hold a specimen like a frog or salamander. Too little, it escapes; too hard and it’s injured.”

This is something Pablo rarely has trouble with. Often he spends a moment or two quietly observing, and appreciating, the animal before he begins his collection of data. It is probably during those moments of appreciation his mind generates a few more areas for scientific research.

“Every human should be a scientist. They should know how to do experiments, to solve problems. That’s all scientific inquiry is – solving problems. Everyone should be doing it. And, it’s a fun way to learn!”

This passion for passing on an interest in science is part of the reason why Pablo is a frequent judge for local science fairs and active in encouraging undergraduate researchers. “There are ways in conveying criticism of a project that leaves the student with their interest intact. You might give them suggestions for alternative ways to conduct their experiment or another approach to take. I want them to question. I want them to look at the problem from a different angle. I want them to stay engaged.”

It seems Pablo’s search criteria for a position has been well met by his move to Shippensburg. But there has been an unexpected discovery as well, one that reminds him of his Spanish childhood. “We enjoy the roots of the place,” he said simply.

Pablo’s focus is not on achieving the next major scientific breakthrough, although he won’t rule out one of his students doing just that.

Each time he can record a piece of data, no matter how small, he knows he is contributing to the big picture. “It is satisfying to know it would be impossible if it were not for all the little pieces building the foundation for such discoveries. It is nice to be part of that.”