Bees, Please

For research fellow Dr Deepa Senapathi, the answer was by hosting a number of practical outreach events combining multiple complementary projects undertaken by Dr Senapathi and her team. They have engaged in 21 public, practitioner and policy events in the past three years, all of which have enhanced the reputation of individual researchers, their research division, and the university.

Outreach events have been local, national and international, and include more than 30 interactive presentations to grower associations, beekeepers, agronomists and industry partners. Dr Senapathi’s team were invited onto expert UN and EU panels, participated in working groups (not least, a DEFRA pollinator event at the 2015 Milan Expo), made numerous media appearances, and, working with Professor Simon Potts and colleagues, showcased their research at Kew Gardens in October 2016. This major day-long event saw the 26-strong team hold exhibitions, interactive games, practical demonstrations and myth-busting sessions. Dr Senapathi and her team have also produced short video clips, hosted on the University’s YouTube channel, to inform a wider audience.