May Berenbaum

May Berenbaum, born on July twenty-second, nineteen fifty-three, is a distinguished American entomologist and professor of entomology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her research delves into the intricate chemical interactions between herbivorous insects and their host plants, exploring how these relationships shape natural communities and drive species evolution.

With a keen interest in nectar, plant phytochemicals, honey, and bees, Berenbaum's work holds significant implications for the field of beekeeping. Her contributions to entomology have not gone unnoticed; she was elected to the National Academy of Sciences and appointed editor-in-chief of its journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, in two thousand nineteen.

In addition to her prestigious roles, Berenbaum is a member of the American Philosophical Society, having been inducted in nineteen ninety-six, and she is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, also from nineteen ninety-six. Since two thousand twelve, she has held the Maybelle Leland Swanlund Endowed Chair in entomology, the highest honor a professor can achieve at her university.

Her remarkable achievements culminated in two thousand fourteen when she was awarded the National Medal of Science, recognizing her outstanding contributions to the field.