Profile

Natalia Caporale
CAMPOS Faculty Scholar (2015-2016) and Lecturer with Potential for Security of Employment of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior

Natalia Caporale was born in Argentina, where she conducted her undergraduate studies in Biology at the prestigious Universidad de Buenos Aires. She then came to the US to pursue her PhD in Neuroscience at UC Berkeley, where she conducted research into the cellular and circuit mechanisms of learning and memory in Dr. Yang Dan’s lab. While at Berkeley, Dr. Caporale was awarded the HHMI Predoctoral Fellowship (2002-2007), and also several awards for her teaching and dedication to her students.

Dr. Caporale then did her postdoctoral research with Dr. Linda Wilbrecht studying the effects of early-life adversity on cognitive development and decision making in rodents. Following this, Dr. Caporale worked as a lecturer at SFSU and UC Berkeley and also was a Visiting Scholar in Dr. Kimberly Tanner’s lab, where she started her training in science education research. At UC Berkeley, Dr. Caporale also developed and became chair of the Postdoc Teaching Opportunities Program, which trains STEM Postdocs in evidence-based teaching strategies, with a focus on increasing cultural competence and student-centered practices.

Dr. Caporale is joining the Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior Department at UC Davis where she will conduct research in science education, with particular focus on the identification of instructional elements that can increase student retention in STEM disciplines, particularly among transfer students, minorities and first generation students. As a CAMPOS Scholar, Dr. Caporale looks forward to working with the ADVANCE initiative to develop programs to increase support of latinos, women and other minorities in the STEM disciplines.