Richard Martinez

Originally from south east Los Angeles and a product of the California Community College system Richard ventured into the Inland Empire to study ecology at UC Riverside. There he explored research opportunities in the natural sciences which laid the path for his future research endeavors. First introduced to entomology in his last year at UC Riverside, Richard has passionately explored insects for the last few years. His journey began in the Sonoran Desert where he studied foraging behavior of desert harvesting ants. He continued in the Sierras learning about aquatic insects and their role in aquatic food webs. Richard fed his curiosity by shifting his training to agricultural pests in the Central Valley and focusing on the pests of pistachio orchards and vineyards, including a biological control agent. Now, taking on a new challenge, he has immersed himself in all things honey bees. Not easily intimidated, Richard has taken a liking to beekeeping, although not so much the stinging part. Currently a graduate student at UC Davis, he hopes to further his knowledge of honey bee nutrition and contribute to the field. While pursuing his research and academic goals, Richard has not lost sight of a topic close to home: educational outreach and science communication. For the last three years, under the guidance of Associate Professor of Cooperative Extension Elina Lastro Nino, he has participated in countless events with local schools to share his knowledge of insects, research, and more.