Dr. Roberto Frontera-Suau was born in Puerto Rico where he received a bachellors degree in Industrial Microbiology from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus. He went on to work on the field of Immunovirology, developing monoclonal antibodies against HIV-Ii, completing a Masters degree at Dr. Edmundo Kraiselberg's laboratory, in the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus. As a QA/QC Analyst at Shering-Plough, a pharmaceutical company in Manati, Puerto Rico, Dr. Frontera-Suau was intrigued by his observation of sucessional microbial populations in production line samples, which led to his desire to further his education and complete his doctoral degree. He went on to work on microbial ecology, studying population dynamics of crude oil-biodegrading microorganisms in soil at Dr. Pamela Morris' laboratory, receiving his Ph D from the Medical University of South Carolina.

Dr. Frontera-Suaus interest in education led him to apply to a then novel type of Post-doc funded by the NSF through the IRACDA program. The program at UNC-Chapel Hill, called SPIRE, was designed for individuals looking to combine research carreers with strong teaching, and allowed participants to acquire teaching experience in minority service institutions. The SPIRE program led Dr. Frontera-Suau to Elizabeth City State University, where he has worked since 2003 as a Visiting Scholar, and later as a tenure tracked professor. He has a strong commitment to helping students reach their full potential. As a professor at ECSU, he has developed new courses, incorporated technology and active learning into the classroom and has developed a strong undergraduate research program that with external funding. He has also served the university in assessment, curricullum, general education and distance learning committees and boards. Dr. Frontera-Suau currently a full professor in the Department of Natural Sciences, where he serves as Coordinator for the Biology Program.