Priya Chakrabarti Basu
Priya Chakrabarti Basu discovered her love for honey bees studying zoology as a graduate student in her native India.
Honey bees, however, were not a common topic of research in her home country. Her faculty advisors were actually an ecologist and a molecular cardiologist.
“While working on my master’s degree, I read about colony collapse disorder in the U.S. and wanted to learn about wild colonies of honey bees in Asia,” said Basu, who joined the honey bee and pollinator program in Washington State University’s entomology department on Jan. 1.
She eventually earned a PhD, pursuing multiple projects across India and Europe. After graduating, she came to the U.S. to work as a postdoctoral researcher at Oregon State University (OSU). She first learned about, and collaborated with, WSU’s honey bee program while in Corvallis, Oregon.
“I’ve always admired WSU’s program,” said Basu, who joins the university after a three-year stint as an assistant professor at Mississippi State University (MSU). “The stakeholder and state support in Washington are phenomenal, and I’ve known some of the researchers for years. They do amazing, impactful work, and I’m thrilled to be joining them.”
She will be based on the Pullman campus, with statewide research projects at locations including WSU’s Honey Bee and Pollinator Research, Extension, and Education Facility in Othello, Washington.
Priya Chakrabarti Basu
Basu brings her active engagement with various professional societies to WSU. Her involvement in a variety of professional entomological organizations in the U.S. will help WSU’s bee program further its collaboration with other researchers throughout the nation.
While at OSU, Basu worked with Brandon Hopkins, the P.F. Thurber Endowed Professor of Pollinator Ecology, and taught Bri Price, an education and outreach coordinator for the WSU bee program, when Price was an undergraduate student. She is also familiar with the recently retired Steve Sheppard, who led WSU’s bee program for many years.
“I can’t replace Steve, and I know I have big shoes to fill, but we’re fortunate that he’s sticking around as an emeritus,” Basu said. “I’m excited about the work Brandon and I will do, individually and collaboratively.”
Nobody at WSU is expecting her to replace Sheppard.
“Steve’s legacy is in place, and we are excited for Priya, a world-class scientist, to immediately propel our bee program forward,” said Laura Lavine, chair of the Department of Entomology. “She has already accomplished a great deal and will be a huge benefit to Washington.”
Basu plans to start with a needs assessment of Washington’s honey bee industry. In addition to teaching and research, her position involves Extension and outreach work. She will meet with beekeepers and other groups to gauge the need for pollinator research across agriculture.
“I want to talk with the Washington State Beekeepers Association (WASBA), the Washington State Department of Agriculture, and WSU Master Gardeners to see what research and Extension work is needed and where to focus my efforts,” she said.
WASBA is helping Basu establish her work in Washington with a scholarship.
“We are proud to award a $10,000 scholarship to Dr. Basu in recognition of her previous, nationally-recognized work on honey bee and pollinator health, and to assist in her future work at WSU,” said Tim Hiatt, a second generation beekeeper and WASBA legislative chair. “Her emphasis on environmental factors, applied management techniques, and basic research make Dr. Basu a wonderful addition to the WSU entomology department. WASBA is anticipating a long and fruitful relationship.”
Basu will build on her lab’s current research projects and WSU’s existing research program. She’ll also expand into new projects, a goal she plans to achieve through her favorite part of working in academia: mentoring students and providing opportunities in her lab.
“I love providing STEM opportunities. We even had high school students come through our lab at MSU. I look forward to building a similar team at WSU and providing opportunities for marginalized populations to grow and learn.”
Priya Chakrabarti Basu
Washington State University
In her lab at MSU, she worked with many technicians, graduate students, and undergraduates, who greatly benefited from the opportunity to experience hands-on scientific research.
“I love providing STEM opportunities,” Basu said. “We even had high school students come through our lab at MSU. I look forward to building a similar team at WSU and providing opportunities for marginalized populations to grow and learn.”
Even if students don’t go on to become scientists, she said the experience will benefit them.
“Research is about asking questions that nobody else is asking,” she said. “And in the process, you may come up with a million other questions. Making that my career, and teaching and mentoring others as they learn about that process — I truly cherish my role.”
