Gerard Capriulo, chairman of the Saint Mary's College biology department, died suddenly at his Clayton home Sunday night.

The 56-year-old professor died the night after having taken students on a field trip to the ocean.

He had been at Saint Mary's since 1997, and taught environmental science, evolution and ecology, general ecology, marine biology, marine ecology, Greek thought seminar, the ocean world and nature photography.

Before his death, Capriulo had been working on transforming a large ship into a floating classroom on San Francisco Bay for area schoolchildren.

Visitation will be held today from 6 to 7 p.m., with a vigil service at 7 p.m., at St. Bonaventure Church, 5562 Clayton Road, Concord. Liturgy will be celebrated at 7 p.m. Saturday at St. Bonaventure.