Passionate about pollinators

Michelle Boone (Ph.D. '23 Entomology) protects bees and butterflies by leading inventory and conservation work across National Park Service lands.

Finding her niche

I have been interested in conservation for as long as I can remember, though I didn’t get into bees until after I graduated. I was obsessed with animals as a child and wanted to save endangered species. I was especially into mammalian predators, like tigers and wolves. 

After getting my bachelor’s degree, I worked as a gardener for the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. I started to notice insects more closely. I began to watch bees while at work and learn about them in my free time. I installed a native garden at the house I was living at the time to attract pollinators.

While applying to graduate programs, a professor suggested I reach out to a new native bee lab in the Department of Entomology that aligned with my passion for conservation. During graduate school, my love of bees and insects was fully solidified.

Conservation in entomology

I work as a pollinator project manager with the National Park Service’s (NPS) Inventory and Monitoring Division. In this role, I manage pollinator inventory projects at national park units across the country, guiding projects from early planning through fieldwork and final reporting. The work follows a seasonal rhythm — from identifying and planning new projects and building partnerships, to developing study plans, supporting field crews, and ensuring projects are scientifically rigorous. I also hire and supervise interns, lead science communication for our program, and coordinate pollinator-related efforts across the NPS and other federal agencies.

This year, I’m excited to lead an in-house inventory of bumble bees and butterflies at Rocky Mountain National Park. Unlike past projects conducted with external partners, this effort allows me to serve as the principal investigator, rather than overseeing the work as a project manager. I’m especially looking forward to stepping back into the field and collecting data alongside the field crew!

I’m passionate about the conservation side of entomology. That might sound pretty basic, but considering most people think of insects primarily as pests that should be killed, it is a unique professional space to occupy. I’m interested in rare, threatened, and endangered (RTE) species, and how we can better monitor populations of RTE species to support conservation activities. 

Guided by mentorship

I would not be where I am today if it weren’t for the many role models and mentors along the way. In CFANS, my journey was deeply impacted by Elaine Evans, among many others. Elaine trained me for my first field season studying bumble bees, including how to catch, identify, safely handle, photograph, and release them unharmed. She taught me all about the rusty-patched bumble bee, which is Minnesota’s State Bee and the first bumble bee species to be listed as federally endangered. She introduced me to extension and outreach activities, providing guidance and mentorship on how to communicate scientific knowledge to a public audience. Most importantly, she let me be myself during a time and place when there was a lot of pressure to conform to specific political and social ideologies. 

Elaine continues to serve as a meaningful collaborator and mentor in my career to this day. In 2024, we nominated each other for outreach/science communication awards through the Entomological Society of America. We both won — Elaine in the professional awards category and me in the early career professional category. It was really cool to win a science communication award alongside the person who introduced me to scientific outreach and engagement!

Leading with purpose

Many of the activities I engaged in as a grad student at CFANS have provided experiences that have led to new opportunities since I graduated. I gained leadership experience as the chair of the Graduate Student Board and as a student rep on various committees. 

Since graduating, I have been involved with the Entomological Society of America (ESA). I served as vice-chair of the Leadership Development Committee for one year, have served on the North Central Branch Early Career Professionals committee for the past two years, and recently started a four-year term in the presidential line for the Plant-Insect Ecosystem Governing Council. I am learning about science policy and strategies for advocating insect science through the ESA Science Policy Fellows program.

Advice for CFANS students of color

It’s a tough road, so stay focused on your goals and don’t give up. Racism is real. Resilience is key. We need you. STEM needs you. The world needs you. 

More practically, this comes down to really building up a strong support system both in and outside of school. Limit time and energy spent on trying to fix problematic people and refocus that time on taking care of your own health and wellbeing. Advocate for yourself in college and in your career, and when you succeed and move up in life, remember to advocate for others. 

Finally, learn about what career options are available for the major or subdiscipline you choose, including non-traditional ones, and network with people who are doing the types of jobs you want. Many of us are the first in our families to go to college or work in a STEM field, so find mentors and people to help guide you. There is a misconception that STEM degrees automatically lead to stable jobs with good pay, but there’s a lot more to being successful than getting the degree.

In Grounded in Purpose, members of CFANS’ Black community share how they discovered their niche in nature. From students and postdocs to faculty and alumni, they are advancing work to preserve and protect the planet.