Claudio Monteza-Moreno spent his adolescence exploring the ecosystem behind his childhood home in Panama. These experiences opened his mind to science and eventually brought him to UC Davis. Today, he’s a student in the Animal Behavior Graduate Group.

In a study appearing in Science, researchers show that the pesticide imidacloprid, which has been sold in the U.S. since 1994, disrupts bumblebee (Bombus impatiens) nest behavior, causing reduced growth in exposed colonies.

Before delving into the world of endocrinology, Assistant Professor Rebecca Calisi Rodríguez wasn’t following the path of a traditional scientist. She’d studied studio art and psychology at both Skidmore College and Boston College and thought she wanted to pursue the artist’s life.