Jenna Walters is a 5th year PhD candidate in the Rufus Isaacs Lab, earning a dual degree in the Department of Entomology and the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior (EEB). Her research is focused on understanding the consequences of extreme heat on native bee pollinators and blueberry pollination systems. Her interdisciplinary approach to research, drawing from entomology, plant biology, biochemistry, and ecology has allowed her to conduct well-rounded research on the direct and indirect effects of climate change on our natural and agricultural ecosystems.
Jenna began her research career as an undergraduate student at Michigan State University, working in several entomology labs and an REU in the plant biology department, it became clear that she wanted to pursue a career working to protect and understand our natural world. In fact, some of her independent research as an undergraduate student led to her PhD position as the basis of that research helped fund two GREEEN grants.
In addition to her research, Jenna has shown a passion and commitment to promoting diversity and ensuring equity and inclusion in STEM, and was recognized for these efforts by the College of Natural Resources last year receiving the “You Belong Here Award”. She co-created a program in the Entomology department called the Entomology Research and Outreach Fellowship (EROF) in 2020 that works to provide undergraduate students from historically excluded groups or those with limited research opportunity a livable wage, health insurance, and mentorship.
Jenna received the dissertation completion fellowship for Summer 2024 and plans to defend her PhD in June. After which, Jenna hopes to continue her degree in academia working as a post-doctoral research and eventually professor, continuing to research the impacts of climate change on native bees and flowers. So far, Jenna has published four papers, two of which are first authors and has recently submitted another first author paper for publication.
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