Meet the SRJC students contributing to our knowledge of campus biodiversity through internships, independent study, and volunteer work.
current student researchers
MILES JOHNSON, member of the SRJC Bee Team
Barnhart Intern 2024/45, NSF Buzz Intern 2024
Hello, my name is Miles Johnson. I’m currently studying biology and math at SRJC and plan to transfer to study entomology. My internship on the BUZZ project has me collecting native bees and recording their host flowers. Not only do I get to look at the incredible native solitary bees most people don’t know about, but the data we gather can also help everyday people know the best flowers to plant if they want to help save native bees.
Barnhart Intern 2024/45, NSF Buzz Intern 2024
Hello, my name is Miles Johnson. I’m currently studying biology and math at SRJC and plan to transfer to study entomology. My internship on the BUZZ project has me collecting native bees and recording their host flowers. Not only do I get to look at the incredible native solitary bees most people don’t know about, but the data we gather can also help everyday people know the best flowers to plant if they want to help save native bees.
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JUSTUS MOH
Campus Biodiversity Intern 2025 My name is Justus, and I’m a biology student at SRJC, i plan to pursue a career in veterinary medicine or another biology related field. I have a strong calling for working with animals and plants and am determined to making a positive impact on the environment. With this internship at SRJC, I will have the opportunity to collaborate with instructors and students across campus on various projects aimed at improving the biodiversity of local plant and animal species. Through focusing on sustainability and conservation, I hope to contribute to creating a healthier, balanced ecosystem while gaining valuable experience that I can share with others. |
JASMINE RUELL
Campus Biodiversity Intern 2025 |
Former student researchers
BAILEY GLASHON, former member of the SRJC Bee Team
NSF Buzz Intern 2023, Barhart Intern 2023/24, Bodega Marine Lab Internship 2023
I am studying Biology here at the JC. In fall of 2024 I will be at Cal Poly Humboldt studying Ecology with a minor in Indigenous Peoples, Natural Resources, and the Environment. I fell in love with field work last spring when I started working on a research project studying native bees. Did you know that there’s more to bees than honey and getting stung? Luckily the bees we are studying aren’t honeybees at all, but the incredible bees that are native to our area, most of which are solitary, live underground, and don’t make honey! We are doing surveys of the native bees that are here on campus and those that are at Pepperwood Preserve, and then we are recording what kind of flowers each bee is pollinating. This includes going out to the field and catching bees with a net as they pollinate, and then bringing them to campus and looking at them in extreme detail and using a dichotomous key to identify them. This information can help us compare diversity on campus to that at the preserve, and can hopefully inform what we can do on campus to improve biodiversity. I am incredibly grateful for this project, not only for the exciting work that we are doing or the practical skills we are learning, but for the opportunity to do research as an undergraduate!
NSF Buzz Intern 2023, Barhart Intern 2023/24, Bodega Marine Lab Internship 2023
I am studying Biology here at the JC. In fall of 2024 I will be at Cal Poly Humboldt studying Ecology with a minor in Indigenous Peoples, Natural Resources, and the Environment. I fell in love with field work last spring when I started working on a research project studying native bees. Did you know that there’s more to bees than honey and getting stung? Luckily the bees we are studying aren’t honeybees at all, but the incredible bees that are native to our area, most of which are solitary, live underground, and don’t make honey! We are doing surveys of the native bees that are here on campus and those that are at Pepperwood Preserve, and then we are recording what kind of flowers each bee is pollinating. This includes going out to the field and catching bees with a net as they pollinate, and then bringing them to campus and looking at them in extreme detail and using a dichotomous key to identify them. This information can help us compare diversity on campus to that at the preserve, and can hopefully inform what we can do on campus to improve biodiversity. I am incredibly grateful for this project, not only for the exciting work that we are doing or the practical skills we are learning, but for the opportunity to do research as an undergraduate!
MICKENNA EDY, former member of the SRJC Bee Team
NSF Buzz Intern 2023, 2024
I am majoring in Biology with a concentration in Ecology. I plan to develop a career where I can contribute to ecological conservation through field research. Being a part of the Buzz Internship allows me to refine valuable field skills, as well as develop my knowledge of pollinator ecology, and I get to connect with other passionate individuals which is always fun! We sample multiple sites in Sonoma County, collecting bees to later identify and add to a larger database. This project will provide us with a better understanding of which flowers are preferred by which bees, knowledge which can then be applied when developing conservation strategies, such as restorative landscaping in urban environments. Hopefully over time, we will also gain a better understanding of pollinator behaviors and patterns in response to climate change and human development.
NSF Buzz Intern 2023, 2024
I am majoring in Biology with a concentration in Ecology. I plan to develop a career where I can contribute to ecological conservation through field research. Being a part of the Buzz Internship allows me to refine valuable field skills, as well as develop my knowledge of pollinator ecology, and I get to connect with other passionate individuals which is always fun! We sample multiple sites in Sonoma County, collecting bees to later identify and add to a larger database. This project will provide us with a better understanding of which flowers are preferred by which bees, knowledge which can then be applied when developing conservation strategies, such as restorative landscaping in urban environments. Hopefully over time, we will also gain a better understanding of pollinator behaviors and patterns in response to climate change and human development.
NATALIE KOZLOWSKI, former member of the SRJC Bee Team
Pepperwood Internship 2023/24, Bodega Marine Lab Internship 2024
I am a Biology major at the JC. I am graduating this Spring with A.S.(s) in Biology and Chemistry but in the fall, I will be a molecular Biology student at Call Poly Humboldt. I am working on a research project with the Pepperwood Preserve and the junior jollege surveying native bees and their floral hosts. We preform surveys, gathering specimens and taking notes in the field, on the preserve and on the college campus before we break out the microscopes and use a key to identify them. This allows us to compare the diversity of pollinators between the two environments and help provide a baseline for any future research. This internship has allowed me to develop field research skills as an undergraduate and an opportunity to connect to academic community!
Pepperwood Internship 2023/24, Bodega Marine Lab Internship 2024
I am a Biology major at the JC. I am graduating this Spring with A.S.(s) in Biology and Chemistry but in the fall, I will be a molecular Biology student at Call Poly Humboldt. I am working on a research project with the Pepperwood Preserve and the junior jollege surveying native bees and their floral hosts. We preform surveys, gathering specimens and taking notes in the field, on the preserve and on the college campus before we break out the microscopes and use a key to identify them. This allows us to compare the diversity of pollinators between the two environments and help provide a baseline for any future research. This internship has allowed me to develop field research skills as an undergraduate and an opportunity to connect to academic community!
