Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Opportunities for Research and Learning

Dr. May Berenbaum, University of Illinois

Dr. Berenbaum will re-present her award presentation as the 2016 Sterling B. Hendricks Lectureship Awardee.

Dr. Berenbaum is an entomologist whose research has focused on the chemical mechanisms underlying interactions between insects and their host plants. Insects produce a wide variety of chemical compounds for combating predators, detoxifying poisonous substances, securing and preserving food, and otherwise exerting control over their environment.

Along with her path-breaking scientific discoveries, Dr. Berenbaum has had a major impact on the environmental sciences through her public engagement. With her commitment to making complicated scientific subjects, especially entomology, accessible for the public, she has become one of the leading public authoritative sources for information on insects in the country.