Making Their Mark: May Berenbaum

A new documentary premiering on the Big Ten network features three extraordinary women at the University of Illinois. President Obama in 2014 awarded professor May Berenbaum the National Medal of Science for her life’s work in entomological research. Berenbaum is internationally known for her work investigating the recent honey bee crisis, and her research has yielded important new insights into the evolutionary relationships between insects and their host plants. A prolific researcher, author and editor, she has written six popular books about insect life, history and lore. More than 30 years ago, Berenbaum founded the Insect Fear Film Festival, an annual celebration of insect-monster movies. The festival always draws a crowd and provides a perfect venue for teaching her audience about the science behind the six-legged stars of the screen.