LTCC Speaker Spotlight Series brings Biologist to Campus

The Lake Tahoe Community College Speaker Spotlight Series continues on Thursday, March 12 at 6 p.m. in the Aspen/Board room inside the library building. In the spotlight will be Serena Caplins, a Ph.D. student at the University of California, Davis, who is studying population biology.

Caplins will present From Summits to Seas: Understanding Evolution through the Study of Butterflies and Ribbon Worms, which will explore how a variety of techniques and disciplines, including genetics and ecology, are used by evolutionary biologists in their efforts to describe and understand animal diversity. This event is free and open to the public. In particular, K-12 students who have an interest in biology and the sciences are encouraged to attend. Light refreshments will be served.

Caplins is a native of Colorado who began her academic career at Pikes Peak Community College in Colorado Springs, where she earned an A.S. degree. After living in the Netherlands for two years, Caplins transferred to Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA, where she obtained both a Bachelor’s degree in Science and a Master’s degree in Biology.

Fascinated by animal diversity and evolutionary biology, Caplins found studying marine invertebrates to be immensely satisfying. In her doctoral program at Davis, Caplins studies population genetics and developmental plasticity in marine slugs.

The Foundation’s Speaker Spotlight Series brings LTCC faculty and academic experts from other colleges and universities to South Lake Tahoe to share their knowledge and experiences with local students, and to encourage local youth to pursue careers in the fields of science, technology and math. The Speaker Spotlight Series is made possible by a generous donation from community members Bob and Cathy Cliff. For more questions about this event and the Speaker Spotlight Series, please contact Julie Booth at (530) 541-4660 ext. 245, or send an email to Booth@ltcc.edu.