Lauren Esposito

 

Dr. Lauren Esposito is the Assistant Curator and Schlinger Chair of Arachnology at the California Academy of Sciences. She is also the co-founder/director of a science, education, and conservation non-profit called Islands & Seas. Before the Academy, Lauren travelled extensively in the Caribbean region as a National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellow through the University of California at Berkeley, studying the biogeography of arachnids in one of the greatest biodiversity hotspots in the world. Her doctoral dissertation was completed at the American Museum of Natural History in collaboration with the City University of New York, and focused on the medically important North American scorpion genus Centruroides. Lauren’s current research investigates the patterns and processes of evolution in spiders, scorpions, and their venoms. A passionate educator, Lauren has organized education programs on the importance of conserving biodiversity in local communities throughout the Americas, has worked in digital science curriculum development, and has taught courses on a range of topics for elementary through graduate students. She currently leads field-based education programs for undergraduate students in Baja California, Mexico, and teaches a conservation biology summer intensive at Columbia University. When she’s not sailing around the Caribbean islands or trekking through forests of the Darien Gap, Lauren can be found basking in the fog at Ocean Beach, San Francisco.

 

Lauren is our Opening Night speaker.  Don't miss her dynamic presentation titled "When the Lights Go Out: The Bizarre World of Arachnids":  Sunday, October 2 @ 5:30 p.m. @ Scout's Place.   Lauren and Eric Stiner will be running our aba After Dark theme of this year's program. Come join them as they capture bats and arachnids at dusk! This project will be held nightly from October 5th till October 12th. Be sure to sign up at The Tent. Meet at The Tent at 5:00pm to either walk or take a taxi to the survey location.

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