Hot Science, Cool Talks: The Buzz About Bees

From the University of Texas Environmental Science Institute –

*Registration is now full. Select the “register” button and then “Join Waitlist” or get tickets for the Community Science Fair ONLY. As spaces become available, the Environmental Science Institute will contact those on the waitlist.*

Bees are one of the hardest working insects on the planet. Many of the more than 20,000 bee species in the world are key to the pollination of hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of crops including coffee, cotton, blueberries, and almonds! But many bee species are being threatened by human-related activities such as agricultural intensification, natural habitat alteration, and climate change. Join Dr. Shalene Jha as she discusses her research on bee populations and shares the secrets of their amazing world.

Bees play a key role in pollination, the transferring of pollen between flowers which allows plants to be fertilized and produce fruit. But not all bees live in colonies and few are extensively managed by humans. Most native bee species are solitary and nest in the ground or in woody stems in the wild. In the US, more than 4000 native bee species can be found. But are these pollinators in danger? Dr. Jha shares how native bee species interact with native and exotic plants, from tropical forests to urban areas in Texas, reveals their cultural and economic impact, and discusses the challenges bees face to survive.

Dr. Shalene Jha is an Assistant Professor of Integrative Biology at The University of Texas at Austin, who studies how human land management impacts the way species interact with one another. She is particularly interested in understanding the beneficial services pollinators provide to ecosystems and the humans living within them. She specializes in the use of ecological and genetic tools to measure the health of plant and pollinator communities and to trace how pollinators move across landscapes. Dr. Jha has experience studying plants and pollinators all around the world, from coffee to cotton farms, and Texas prairies to tropical rainforests. She has received numerous awards including grants from the USDA, Texas Parks and Wildlife, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the National Science Foundation CAREER program.

Directions and Parking

The talk takes place in the Student Activity Center (SAC) Room 1.402 located at 2201 Speedway. The Community Science Fair takes place in the Jackson Geological Sciences Building (JGB) located across from the SAC. Hot Science – Cool Talksattendees may park at the San Antonio Garage (SJG), located at 2420 San Antonio Street, at the discounted rate of $3. Only if you park at this garage will you receive the discount. Please bring your parking ticket with you to the event. Parking staff will sell discounted parking passes from 5:30-7:15 p.m Cash, debit and credit cards are accepted. There will not be PTS staff at the garage.

There are other special events happening on campus that day so the San Jacinto and Manor Garages will be in “event” mode. If you decide at the San Jacinto or Manor Garages, you will pay $10 parking fee.

Check-in

All talk attendees are required to have a ticket to attend the talk.Check-in starts at 5:30 p.m. during the Community Science Fair. Please bring your Eventbrite ticket (printed or email) to check-in.

We ask that everyone is seated in the auditorium by 6:50 p.m. or you may lose your seat. The talk will take place in the SAC Auditorium (Room 1.402). We request that anyone attending the talk will stay for the duration. We expect the talk and its Q & A session will end by 8:15 p.m. though ending times may vary depending on the speaker.

Community Science Fair

Interactive hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) activities and demos happen during the Community Science Fair from 5:30 – 6:40 p.m. Talk attendees are NOT required to attend the Community Science Fair. We will also offer the option to attend the Community Science Fair only for those families and educators who wish to enjoy the STEM hands-on activities and demos without staying for the talk. This is a wonderful option for educators and families with young children who may not be able to attend the whole talk.

About Hot Science – Cool Talks

Presented by the Environmental Science Institute (ESI) at The University of Texas at Austin, the Hot Science – Cool Talks series is a venue for leading researchers to share their scientific discoveries with the public, K–12 science educators and their students. The series consists of six free public talks each year, reaching an annual audience of more than 2,500. Prior to each talk, attendees are invited to a fair with engaging activities and displays. For those who cannot attend in person, ESI webcasts events live online, and educators and others can host viewing events at their schools or watch at home.