Marla Spivak

Member since: 2021

Proposed by: Saint Paul Garden Club, Zone XI

Dr. Spivak is renowned nationally and internationally for her work with pollinators--most specifically, the honey bee. She oversees critical research in the area of honey bee biology, bee health, conservation, and pollinator habitat as a professor in the Bee Research Lab at the University of Minnesota. She has received a MacArthur Fellowship as well as numerous awards and research grants.

Through research and testing, she has developed a strain of honey bee for the beekeeping industry that is more resistant to diseases. She also started an organization called "The Bee Squad" which helps beekeepers and the community in the Twin Cities promote the conservation, health, and diversity of bee pollinators through research, education, and hands-on mentorship.

She has published countless research papers and spoken at numerous conferences. Her TED talk on "Why Bees Are Disappearing" has nearly 3 million views. She is the author and creator of several beekeeping manuals and videos which are viewed around the world.