Dixie State University to host forum on the biodiversity of bees

Exploring the many mysteries of bees and their biodiversity, ecologist and environmental journalist Dr. Joan M. Meiners will present at the next installment of Dixie State University’s weekly lecture series, Dixie Forum: A Window on the World.

Meiners’ presentation, “Beyond the Beehive: Exploring Unknowns in Bee Biodiversity,” will take place at noon on October 1 in the Dunford Auditorium, located in the Browning Resource Center on the Dixie State campus. Admission is free, and the public is encouraged to attend.

During the forum, Meiners will uncover the mysteries about wild bees often unknown to the public, such as of the 20,000 different species of bees in the world, only about nine of them make honey. She will also discuss the many mysteries about bees that still remain, even for scientists who study them.

Meiners has loved bees since she conducted her science fair project on them in the 8th grade. She has a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from Mount Holyoke College, a master’s degree in ecology from Utah State University and a doctorate in interdisciplinary ecology from the University of Florida.

Her research has focused on biodiversity patterns of bee communities in different habitat types as well as ecological questions that available data on wild bees leave unanswered.

Meiners has also freelanced as a science journalist for Smithsonian Magazine, Discover Magazine, NPR and others.

Dixie Forum is a weekly lecture series designed to introduce the St. George and Dixie State communities to diverse ideas and personalities while widening worldviews via a 50-minute presentation.

At the next installment of Dixie Forum, Dixie State University professors Ka-Wai Yu and Dr. Nancy Allred will present along with former DSU student Zhuo Qin at noon on October 15 in the Dunford Auditorium.