Kirsten Kapp

Biography

Growing up in Vermont, Kirsten Kapp spent most of her childhood playing in the woods, riding her horse, skiing in the Green Mountains and sailing on Lake Champlain. Her passion for studying wildlife and conservation blossomed while studying wildlife in Kenya. Here she was exposed to challenging wildlife management issues concerning government owned lands and misplaced native peoples.

After earning her bachelor’s degree in wildlife and fisheries management she worked as a field technician studying many species from birds to bears but focused on bear-human conflicts in graduate school. It was in graduate school that she discovered her love of teaching. Kapp began teaching human anatomy, human physiology and general biology for Central Wyoming College in 2006. She has also taught courses in ecology, environmental science and pre-college math.

Kapp is an active member of PULSE (Partnership for Undergraduate Life Science Education) and is dedicated to creating scientific research and applied learning experiences for her students. Although she has many research interests, her most current research focuses on microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems.

When not in the classroom she is often found skiing, mountain biking, hiking, or doing anything outdoors with her husband, son and dog. When she can, Kapp enjoys kayaking with the wooden kayak that she built. After competing in national and international sailing competitions and growing up on and around sailboats, she is always seeking ways to fill her sails.

Degrees

• Bachelor of Science in Wildlife and Fisheries Management, University of Vermont
• Master of Science in Conservation Bilogy and Sustainable Development, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• School for Field Studies in Kenya