As a PhD candidate in UVM's Food Systems Graduate Program, I’m dedicated to advancing wild pollinator conservation efforts in agroecosystems through research and education. My dissertation research focuses on supporting wild pollinators in farming systems by integrating climate models, field research, and action-oriented education.I recently completed a graduate certificate in Education for Sustainability, a program jointly offered by the Shelburne Farms Institute for Sustainable Schools and UVM, which shapes my approach to place-based, participatory research and education.Beyond my research, I lead field walks, workshops, and create educational social media content on native plants and pollinators in collaboration with local organizations like Shelburne Farms and Burlington Parks and Rec. I am also currently a participant in the year-long Vermont Master Naturalist program and serve on the City of Burlington’s Conservation Board, advising on natural resource conservation issues.With a BS in Biology and a Minor in Food Systems from Tufts University, my past work includes studying native bees in Costa Rican forests and coffee farms, surveying plants and pollinators in Minnesota prairies, and engaging in urban pollinator conservation efforts through the Tufts Pollinator Initiative in Boston.Interested in collaborating? Reach out at leslie.spencer@uvm.edu 🐝