Alaina Bandanza

My name is Alaina Bandanza. I am a second-year Conservation Biology Master’s candidate. From a young age, my favorite activity was playing in my backyard– bringing in any bugs found along the way for observation. For undergrad, I attended Agnes Scott College where I majored in Biology with a minor in Environmental and Sustainability Studies. At ASC I volunteered with the college’s Center for Sustainability, spent my weekends volunteering with our service club, tutored Biology, worked as a peer advisor to incoming freshmen, led the Bee Society, and had the opportunity to intern with Atlanta Audubon (now Georgia Audubon).

Feeling a calling back to cooler New England weather, I applied to Antioch for my Master’s. Last summer I completed my first field season and the pilot study for this project. After graduation, I aspire to continue my work in pollinator conservation. I dream of a career either working with landowners to best monitor, manage and develop their properties to benefit bees and other pollinators, or a career in advocacy communicating the most impactful findings of current pollinator research to stakeholders to generate sustainable change and protection for our vitally important pollinators.

February 2022