I grew up in eastern Nebraska where my family owned and operated a small-scale organic farm. Throughout my life, I worked on the farm gaining a practical understanding of organic farming methods which I use to inspire farmer-focused research questions. From 2006 to 2013, I attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where I double majored in Horticulture and Entomology and developed an academic understanding of farming practices. From 2013 to 2019, I attended graduate school at Washington State University where I leveraged my academic and practical background in small-scale agriculture to study patterns of pollinator diversity in organic farms. In the Szendrei Lab, I am assessing the consequences of pesticide use in farms on wild and managed bee health. I am particularly interested in determining trade-offs between pest management and pollinator conservation for farmers. Eventually, I hope to establish my own research lab focused on the intersection of organic agriculture and entomology.

email: bloomel1 ‘at’ msu.edu