Social Insects: Neil Tsutsui’s lab gets the public involved in the scientific process

Branching out a bit into ecology and biology, here's a recent feature I wrote for UC Berkeley's Breakthroughs magazine on College of Natural Resources researcher and professor Neil Tsutsui, an expert on social insects and particularly ants. It weaves some interesting science related to ant behavior and communication into a broader narrative about how his lab uses citizen science to both collect data and engage the public.

Tsutsui isn't simply interested in succeeding as a researcher, though he certainly has. He also has a strong drive to share his fascination with insects (especially ants) with others in hopes of inspiring in them a similar interest in studying (and, ultimately, protecting) these oft-misunderstood and -maligned creatures that quietly play a massive ecological role.