We asked visiting researcher Ewa Popiela to write something about her visit in our Lab – the conclusion is that we miss her!
Hello, BeeLovers!
My name is Ewa. I work at Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences (UPWr; ASc4Future). In my research area, I am interested in a wide variety of topics related to honey bee biology. Today, I would like to share my visit to UNITO.
From the beginning, you can ask, how did I get there?
The story is not complicated. On some winter afternoon, I was looking for information about bee thermoregulation. I found an interesting article on this subject, where Simone Tosi was lead author. I thought it was a good idea to find more information about his research... That's how I found his BeeLab website. I checked the content and saw a young research team passionate about bees. I thought, “Yes, it is a great place for research visiting”. So, I sent an email to beelab@unito.it and just a few months later we were working together at DISAFA!
Our research plan...
Solitary bees are important pollinators that are increasingly exposed to various environmental stressors, including pesticides. Because little is know about complex effects caused by stressors on solitary bees, we decided to study their impact on solitary bee health, focusing on their fertility and reproduction behaviour.
...and much more!
After the first day, people from the BeeLab made me feel like I had been working with them for years. The exchange of our skills and knowledge gives us perspectives for further cooperation. The weeks at DISAFA were an excellent professional and cultural time. I was discovering a different style of life, working and, of course, coffee-drinking habits😊. Additionally, living in Turin allowed me to feel the atmosphere of Italian hospitality, cuisine and customs. I recommend visiting this beautiful city and UNITO as a place for scientific development. All this experience was tremendous, and having new friendships in my academic and personal life is really valuable. I still can’t believe these few weeks have passed so fast: I need to return soon!
