Ronald L. Capen
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Professor of Biology, 1987- Began career at Colorado College: 1971
E-mail: rcapen@coloradocollege.edu Phone: 719-389-6403 Address:
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Education
B.A., University of California, Riverside, 1965; M.A., Harvard University, 1966; Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, 1971.
Research interests
My research interests have changed
focus. Previously I collaborated on
research on the pulmonary microcirculation.
Now I am studying the population genetics of the Caribbean Long-Spined
Sea Urchin, Diadema antillarum.
This urchin species is a voracious grazer of algae and is important in
preventing the algal overgrowth of coral reefs in the Caribbean Sea.
D. antillarum is recovering
from a mass mortality episode in 1983, and I am investigating the genetic
relatedness of different recovering populations around the Caribbean.
Course information
I teach Biology of Vertebrates (BY 109), Animal Cell Physiology (BY 301) and Immunology (BY 304). I have a strong interest in marine biology and co-teach Tropical Forest and Coral Reef Ecology (BY370) with Prof. Marc Snyder. The course is taught in Belize, Central America, and the coral reef component takes place on South Water Caye on Belize’s barrier reef.
Personal interests
Like many people who live in Colorado, I like camping, hiking, and skiing (both cross-country and downhill); however, my favorite recreation is sailing, whether in Colorado mountain lakes or in the Caribbean. SCUBA diving is also another favorite activity.
