I was always so afraid of insects as a kid! However, when I was in college student studying Biology and Ecology, I suddenly found myself fascinated by the bugs all around me! I specifically loved learning about how important insects are for helping humans grow food, especially how bees pollinate our crops.

Today I study the relationship between agricultural practices and bee health. Bees are incredibly important for agriculture, but global populations of both honey bees and wild bees are dying. I want to learn how bees develop diseases and parasites, and what we can do to improve bee health. For example, one of the things I focus one is what farmers can do on their farms or what gardeners can do at home to build habitat for bees. I also ask how urbanization of wild areas impact bees and their health.

I love my research because I get to spend time outdoors doing field research. I enjoy working with many types of students and learning with them by observing and asking questions about my environment: How many species of bees I see? What are they doing? How do they interact with one another? What plants do they visit?

As a SCWIBLES fellow, I am eager to observe the natural world with students at Watsonville High. I hope to see students in the classroom and in the garden!

Cohen poster

Contact Hamutahl: hcohen1@ucsc.edu