Dr. Lev Yampolsky is an accomplished evolutionary biologist, geneticist, and full professor with over 30 years of extensive research and teaching experience. Holding a Ph.D. in Genetics from the Russian Academy of Sciences, he has spent over two decades as a faculty member at East Tennessee State University. A leading global expert in experimental biology, transcriptomics, and genomics, Dr. Yampolsky has authored more than 60 peer-reviewed articles and received the Tennessee Academy of Sciences Distinguished Scientist Award.

At Camp Tamias, he brings this world-class expertise directly to the field, teaching our biology and marine biology courses. He specializes in translating complex ecological and genetic concepts into accessible, hands-on learning experiences, providing young minds with rare opportunities to engage in data-driven scientific discovery.