SEFS PhD candidate Autumn Maust has been awarded the Hall Conservation Genetics Research Fund. This fund supports graduate students working in the field of conservation genetics and is made possible by the generosity of Drs. Benjamin and Margaret Hall. This award will directly support Maust’s research both in the field and in the SEFS Genetics Lab by providing funds for DNA sequencing and lab consumables.

Maust has been studying the impact of wildfires on native bee communities in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest near Lake Chelan. Through her work, at least seven new bee species have been recorded in Washington state. Her preliminary results suggest that the short term effects of fire on bees are positive. Additionally, by sequencing  DNA from pollen collected in the field, Maust has been able to identify which plants native bees are visiting across post fire landscapes, and how visitation changes with time since burn.

One goal of Maust’s research is to identify a short list of native, flowering plants to prioritize in post-fire restoration efforts that best support pollinators.