Pollinators have tremendous agricultural and societal value, and to a neuroscientist, they showcase principles of cognition in the real world. Pollinator species present exquisite examples of co-evolution, physiological and dietary specialization, navigation in complex landscapes, collective decision-making processes, and the behavioral consequences of environmental toxins and disease. In this course, we will use pollinator species (honey bees and other insects, as well as vertebrate pollinators) to explore how critical features of pollination intersect at the level of brain function, covering important neuroscience topics including sensory ecology and evolution, neural energetics, mechanisms of addiction and reward, molecular neuroscience, cognition, and learning and memory.

Pollinators have tremendous agricultural and societal value, and to a neuroscientist, they showcase principles of cognition in the real world. Pollinator species present exquisite examples of co-evolution, physiological and dietary specialization, navigation in complex landscapes, collective decision-making processes, and the behavioral consequences of environmental toxins and disease. In this course, we will use pollinator species (honey bees and other insects, as well as vertebrate pollinators) to explore how critical features of pollination intersect at the level of brain function, covering important neuroscience topics including sensory ecology and evolution, neural energetics, mechanisms of addiction and reward, molecular neuroscience, cognition, and learning and memory.