Scientist Spotlight: Dr. May Berenbaum
This month’s Scientist Spotlight: Dr. May Berenbaum, who is an Entomologist!
Ever watched a ladybug hunt for aphids or noticed a butterfly somehow find the exact plant its caterpillars need to eat? That’s the world entomologists dive into every day. These bug-focused scientists study the most diverse animal group on Earth – insects. From tiny fruit flies to giant walking sticks, entomologists help us make sense of the busy six-legged world that’s bustling right beneath our feet. They’re the folks who figure out how insects live, why they do what they do, and how they connect to plants, animals, and us.
Dr. May Berenbaum
Today we’re shining our spotlight on someone who’s changed how we think about bugs and plants. If insects and plants were locked in a chemical chess match, Dr. May Berenbaum would be the play-by-play announcer making sense of every move. She’s spent decades uncovering how plants and insects have evolved together in a fascinating biological “arms race,” all while helping the rest of us see the wonder in the insect world.
Scientist Profile
- Name: Dr. May Roberta Berenbaum
- Field: Entomology, Chemical Ecology
- Education:
- B.S. in Biology (summa cum laude) from Yale University (1975);
- Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology from Cornell University (1980)
- Early life and inspiration:
- Born in Trenton, New Jersey in 1953, Berenbaum wasn’t always an insect enthusiast – in fact, she started out afraid of bugs! Her path to insect science began almost by accident when she signed up for an entomology course at Yale simply because it fit her schedule. That class opened up a world she’d never noticed before. Later, she took a plant biochemistry class and found herself equally fascinated. When she heard a lecture by scientist Paul Feeny about how plants and insects interact chemically, something clicked – she’d found her perfect research sweet spot where both interests came together.
Notable Works and Achievements
Major Contributions
- Figured out how plants and insects engage in a chemical arms race – plants make toxins, insects evolve ways to detoxify them, and plants counter with new defenses
- Set up the wild parsnip and parsnip webworm as a natural laboratory for watching plant-insect evolution happen in real time
- Showed how honey contains plant compounds that help bees fight disease, deal with pesticides, and live longer (it’s like bees having their own medicine cabinet!)
- Published over 300 scientific papers and written six books that make the insect world accessible to everyday folks
- Created the Insect Fear Film Festival in 1984 – an annual event where bad bug movies are shown alongside real insect facts (now in its 42nd year!)
Awards and Honors:
- Received the National Medal of Science in 2014 (that’s the highest scientific honor in the United States!)
- Won the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement (2011)
- Earned the AAAS Award for Public Understanding of Science and Technology (2009)
- Elected to the National Academy of Sciences (1994)
- Serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Holds the Swanlund Chair in Entomology at University of Illinois (the highest faculty honor there)
- Has a cockroach species named after her (Xestoblatta berenbaumae – a scientific honor that might make some people squirm!)
Impact on the Field
Relevance:
Dr. Berenbaum’s work has changed how we understand the chemical conversations between plants and insects. Instead of seeing bugs as simple pests, her research reveals the complex back-and-forth that happens when plants produce compounds to defend themselves and insects evolve ways to overcome these defenses. This work has practical applications in agriculture, helping farmers protect crops while reducing chemical pesticide use.
Her honey bee research has been especially important as bee populations face challenges worldwide. She’s shown that bees need to visit many different types of flowers to make honey with various plant compounds that keep them healthy – like having access to a natural medicine cabinet. When beekeepers replace honey with sugar water, the bees miss out on these protective compounds, leaving them more vulnerable to disease and pesticides.
Legacy:
Beyond her scientific discoveries, Dr. Berenbaum has transformed how the public views insects through her creative outreach efforts. As founder of the annual Insect Fear Film Festival (now in its 42nd year), she uses campy sci-fi movies as a starting point to teach about real insect biology, complete with insect petting zoos and hands-on activities.
Her leadership at the University of Illinois, where she’s headed the Entomology Department since 1992, has shaped generations of scientists. Through her books, columns, and public appearances, she’s shown that insect science can be both serious and entertaining – helping people move from fear to fascination when it comes to the six-legged creatures that share our world.
Personal Insights
Challenges Overcome:
When Dr. Berenbaum started her career in the 1980s, entomology was largely a male-dominated field. “Being a woman in science then meant you were often the only female in the room,” she has noted in interviews. Despite this, she rose to become department head at the University of Illinois in 1992 and has held that position ever since, helping to open doors for other women in the field along the way.
She’s also tackled a significant communication challenge that many scientists face: how do you get people interested in your research when they’re afraid of your study subjects? Her creative solution was the Insect Fear Film Festival, which turns fear into curiosity by pairing over-the-top insect horror films with real entomological facts. “People are naturally curious about things that scare them,” she explains. “I just provide the scientific context for that curiosity.”
Dr. Berenbaum started out afraid of insects herself before becoming fascinated by them in college. This personal journey from fear to fascination has shaped her approach to public education throughout her career. “It’s not about telling people they shouldn’t be afraid,” she says. “It’s about helping them see the wonder hiding behind that fear.”
“Start with observation – just watching insects in your backyard or local park can teach you so much. The best scientific questions come from noticing something unusual and wondering why it happens. And don’t worry if insects make you nervous at first. Many entomologists, including me, started out afraid of bugs!” – Dr. May Berenbaum’s advice to aspiring entomologists
“People protect what they care about, and they care about what they understand.”
– Dr. May Berenbaum
Next time you see a bee buzzing between flowers or notice a caterpillar munching on a leaf, think of Dr. May Berenbaum. She’s helped us understand that these everyday moments are actually glimpses into a complex evolutionary story that’s been unfolding for millions of years.
From overcoming her own fear of insects to becoming one of the world’s most celebrated bug experts, Berenbaum shows how curiosity can lead us to unexpected places. Her blend of serious scientific research and playful public education reminds us that learning about nature doesn’t have to be dry or intimidating – it can be as entertaining as a B-movie monster flick and as sweet as honey from a beehive.
Want to learn more about Dr. Berenbaum’s work? Check out one of her books like “Bugs in the System” for an entertaining look at how insects affect human affairs, “Buzzwords” for her musings on insects in popular culture, or “Honey, I’m Homemade” to explore the fascinating world of honey and bees. Her writing brings the same warmth, humor, and knowledge that have made her a favorite with both scientists and the public.