20,000. That’s the number of described bee species worldwide. In tropical Costa Rica, there are almost 700. And Kentucky is home to approximately 400 bee species, according to the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves.

With these bees working as powerful pollinators to support crop production, Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) Associate Professor Dr. Valerie Peters focuses her research on bee conservation through plant diversity—determining which plants in Kentucky and tropical areas like Costa Rica support bee populations.

Peters received a National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) grant to support her research, a multi-year award worth more than $700,000. According to the NSF, the CAREER program “supports early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization.”

EKU President David McFaddin said, “As EKU’s first NSF CAREER grant recipient, Dr. Peters showcases excellence in research and the impact of EKU faculty on student learning experiences and within communities at home and far beyond Kentucky’s borders.” 

Peters works with farmers in Kentucky and Costa Rica to study bee and plant interactions across environments, promote bee-friendly practices and help to protect farming businesses. Without bee pollination, many popular crops like bananas, coffee and pineapples wouldn’t be able to prosper.

“Farmers are usually interested in biodiversity conservation because of the importance of bees,” Peters said. “They know that if they take conservation action, it could protect bee communities and benefit their livelihoods.”

Connected with local groups by Earthwatch, Peters and her team look at bee activity in areas of research interest. She examines flowers to find out whether bees are active on the plant and then captures all of the bee interactions with the plant. Analyzing this data, she can identify the most important plant species the bees are foraging on in that area. 

With the potential for global impact from her research, Peters said, “Ecosystem services are gifts that nature gives to us free of cost. If we lose them, we lose an important economic gift. The goal of my research is to help people make the best decisions, because we don’t have a lot of land dedicated to conservation.”

Peters’ research also gives EKU students opportunities to get hands-on experience in the field, collaborating with local communities in Costa Rica. She’s taken approximately 15 students abroad, and many of those students have gone on to publish papers, continue pollinator-focused projects across the country and pursue careers in research and conservation. 

“One of my former students is leading pollinator conservation efforts at Kentucky State University,” she said. “Kentucky is one of the least researched states in terms of the bee community, so we need more people engaging in bee-related activities.”

Looking ahead, Peters hopes to create demonstration plots with local farmers to showcase sustainable land use. 

“We’re creating plots where 50% of the trees are for biodiversity conservation and 50% are for livelihoods,” she said.

Peters not only advances bee conservation but also cultivates opportunities for students and communities to take part in impactful, globally connected research.

EKU’s Department of Biological Sciences offers a wide range of educational opportunities, allowing students to work alongside renowned faculty, like Peters, on research with a global impact. With undergraduate and graduate degree options, EKU prepares students for a wide range of career opportunities and further education.

By Ethan Sirles