Year of Honorary Fellowship, 2012
Professor May Roberta Berenbaum is a professor of entomology at the University of Illinois and IGB faculty member. Her research focuses on chemical interactions between herbivorous insects and their host plants, and the implications of these interactions on the organization of natural communities and the evolution of species.
In 2014, she was awarded the National Medal of Science, the nation’s highest honour for achievement and leadership in advancing the fields of science and technology, according to an announcement from the White House Press Office.
She also created the Insect Fear Film Festival. The festival engages and entertains hundreds of viewers each year with feature-length films and shorts, commentary on the films, an insect petting zoo and an insect art contest.
Berenbaum graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in biology from Yale University in 1975. She earned a Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology from Cornell University in 1980.
Watch a replay of her talk at #ICE2022:
