Odor Complexity of Encoding Elementally or Configurally in Bumblebees

Sana Nauman ’26

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Sprayberry

Other Research Team Members: I worked with Sinhayanna Srinivastan, although we did work on separate projects in the lab. We still had work that intersected, such as taking care of the bees and “wind tunnel trials” that would provide important data for both of our projects. 

What is the broader impact of your summer research? That is, why should the world care about your work?

The Big Why for my summer research is how odor complexity affects odor navigation in bumblebees. With the heavy prevalence of pollution in this day and age, these pollutants can affect the perception of certain odors that bees are normally used to. For example, if a bee cannot discriminate between an odor with a pollutant versus an odor without a pollutant, it can be harmful to the bee. I used differential conditioning protocol to test whether bees can discriminate or generalize between odors with different molecular odor components. Through this work, we can quantifiably figure what type of components in pollutant chemical compounds can allow a bee to discriminate or generalize between odors.

What has summer research taught you about yourself and the field that you researched and/or studied?

I was taught that it is perfectly acceptable to not understand a concept or idea at first. When I first started off, I didn’t quite understand the project I was tasked to do, which definitely made me uncomfortable and insecure to be in the lab. However, with the help of my mentor and the various hours I put in, I was able to slowly pick up on the concepts I originally had trouble understanding. Although I am not an “expert” in the field, I recognize the growth that I had throughout my summer research and understand the fact that we all have to start somewhere. Through reading workshops with Dr. Sprayberry, I was definitely able to hone in my paper-reading skills and understanding difficult data and figures in scientific papers. I also learned better how to handle bees confidently. 

What advice would you give to students considering a future research opportunity similar to the one you participated in?

Have fun! Don’t stress too much about not understanding something at first–you’ll get it someday with the help of your peers, mentor, and your determination!