Judy Wu-Smart

Judy Wu-Smart received her BS in Zoology at Humboldt State University, Arcata, California. She received her MS in Entomology at Washington State University under the advisement of Drs. Walter Sheppard and Carol Anelli. Her MS research examined the effects of pesticide residue accumulation in brood comb on honey bee health. She continued onto a PhD program with Dr. Marla Spivak at the University of Minnesota where she examined the effects of systemic neonicotinoid insecticides on honey bee and bumble bee queens and colony development. She also taught several workshops including beekeeping and pesticide certification courses. She’s currently an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). In her role at UNL, Judy is developing a pollinator health program to help understand the underlying stressors in bee health and their interactions with environmental toxicants. Her goal is to integrate her research and extension efforts with policy to inform the regulatory-decision making process by identifying risk mitigation opportunities and best management practices that will better protect beneficial pollinators in agricultural and urban landscapes.