Bee Course 2023
“Thank you so much for offering the course and for accepting me! I will recommend it to everyone I know!”
“Thank you again for your time, for having me, and for organizing an excellent course. I learned a ton and feel inspired to expand my horizons a little bit in my research going forward.”
“Thank you for putting together this course and taking time away from your family, friends, school, and work to teach us! I would 10/10 recommend this course to others."
"Thank you for all the work that was put into the bee course. The contacts I made are great.
“There was a lot of great information and I came away with a rejuvenated enthusiasm for working with bees. "
“This was one of the most meaningful experiences of my career (and life!) Keep up the amazing work!”
“I'm still reeling from what an incredible experience this was - I can't wait for a Spring Alumni session (wink-wink). Thank you all so, so much; the amount of work and love poured into this event was evident!”
"The 'happy hours' were great, thanks for making everyone feel welcome and included! I also really appreciated how the instructors moved about to sit with various groups of students at meals, rather than always sitting together as a group
“THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH for a tremendous learning experience. My pace is still slow (and maybe always will be!) but I feel much more confident working on my bees back home than I did before, and I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to learn from all of you (and from my fellow students in the course, many of whom were so kind and helpful).”
“Thank you so much for the opportunity to participate in this incredible course!"
Bee Course 2022
"Overall this is one of, if not the best experience of my graduate career. I will remember it as a positive experience for the rest of my life."
"This was a fantastic opportunity. Seriously life-changing. Thank you so much for bringing us in!"
"Thanks for this amazing workshop :)"
"Excellent!! Great job everyone. I feel very fortunate to have had this opportunity."
"I felt that the entire team was very welcoming, inclusive, and friendly! Thank you all"
"Super fun!"
"Everything was great."
"Field trips were fantastic!"
"Seminars were amazing, I really loved them all"
"This was really wonderful. Thanks so much for doing it!!"
"...I felt the field trips were very fun and balanced with lecture/lab."
"Field trips were great. Appreciated having optional trips"
Bee Course 2019
"It was great! Learned exactly what I had intended. --> Keying bees to genera."
"It was a great experience and I will recommend to anyone with an interest in bees."
"I loved the bee course! It was fun and I learned a huge amount of pertinent information!"
"I had a wonderful experience and learned fundamental concepts for the development of my career."
"Keep it up - this course is fabulous. I cannot believe ten days have passed!"
"All instructors were great, very captivating information."
"Thank you to all instructors for the huge dedication of time and for being so enthusiastic and approachable."
"The instructors were fiercely intelligent, which could come off as intimidating normally, but they were all so warm and open and easy to talk to. Did not feel foolish asking questions. Was nice how relaxed of an environment they created."
"Amazing class. Thanks so much for allowing me to participate!"
Bee Course 2018
“Wonderful experience!! Bee camps was the best experience I have had working with bees! Amazing to meet with people who speak the bee “language!!!”
“THANKS! BEST TIME EVER!”
“The instructors are wonderful.”
“I love the bee course yeah”
“It’s been a wonderful experience”
“Thanks for an awesome time and learning experience! I was getting a bit worried that I wouldn’t be able to learn to ID my specimens, but after the course I am much more confident that I can accomplish the IDs. The Bee Course was an amazing way to get started learning a somewhat daunting skill (bee ID).”
“Everyone was fantastic! Helpful, knowledgeable, and entertaining!”
“I was blown away by the skill level and helpfulness of all the instructors.”
“Bravo, this was a true treat!”
“This was the best experience in my learning process in the past 4 years of working with bees.”
“Marvelous! What a spot!”
“Thank you instructors for your time, wisdom, and energy. INCREDIBLE COURSE! I Learned so much and am so grateful to be a part of this community.”
“Everyone is amazing. It was inspirational to be around so much knowledge and passion. Thanks to all.”
“The length and sequence of activities was perfect! I loved alternating lab days with field days.”
“The Bee Course changed my casual interest in bee diversity and entomology into an important part of my academic career.”
Bee Course 2015
"Thank you for a very interesting, professional and enjoyable course!”
“I wish I could come again.”
“The Bee Course was just about flawless.”
“A memorable experience. I learned a lot.”
“This was the best field/lab course I’ve ever taken.”
“I’d just like to thank everyone involved. The Bee Course was a great educational experience.”
“Thanks for the fun informative experience.”
“All in all, I think the course was an extremely valuable experience. The length was appropriate, the depth of the course was well thought out (a great introduction), and the instructors/field experience was one-of-a-kind.”
“Thanks for everything. I’m honored to have been here.”
“Learned more than I expected. Enoyed all aspects of the course – would highly recommend to others. Thank you!”
Bee Course 2014
"Also, thanks for a wonderful learning experience!”
“I feel honored to have been part of the course: thanks for inviting me!”
“I feel that being selected to attend this course as a great honor….Eli did a great job of arranging the equipment and siting locations. Thank you, all instructors, for your effort and expertise.”
“I don’t have any comments, only this is a great course.”
“I am so grateful for the opportunity – thank you!!”
“I really enjoy the course, thanks for everything, guys!”
“Instructors are awesome & we are so blessed to see such a wonderful team of people to interact with. While we are studying bee phylogeny, I was thinking about bee people phylogeny:
“I had a wonderful time at the Bee Course 2014 and hope to carry forward all of the knowledge I gained. Thanks so much for everything!!!”
“It was great to meet and talk with so many bee minds at once.”
“Great experience. Thank you!”
“The course was really well organized & informative.”
“We need a ‘bee super course’ for alumni to come back! ‘Costa Rica Edition’.”
Bee Course 2013
Pre-course communications: “Very Good! I really appreciated Ron’s emails…”
“No room for improvement.” “Planning and reminders were clear and timely.”
Course schedule: “Excellent! The proportion of lecture vs. lab time was good.”
“Overall I think the schedule is just right…” “…was perfect.”
Labs and lab lectures: “...are very good and clear.”
“Great!”
“I really cannot think of any suggestions…great!”
Evening seminars: “Excellent! One of the best parts of the course -- to hear so many great projects from the best in the field.”
“I love them all!”
“Good!” “Perfect!”
Field trips: “Great!” “…all went very well. It was a privilege to share with all the instructors.”
“They were really fun…everyone has their own style and I appreciate them all.”
“The number and duration of field trips are perfect.”
Instructors performance: “The instructors were the best part of the course.”
“…thanks to all for giving so freely and generously of their time and expertise!!”
“Everyone is so nice, smart, and funny! Great lectures.”
Station “facilities”: “AWESOME!” “Food was wonderful!”
“Staff—very friendly.” “All good!”
“Food is amazing!”
“Too much food? But I have no self control.”
Additional comments: “I had a fantastic experience and I learned a lot.”
“I fell very grateful for the chance to participate. I may frame my T-shirt☺”
“I ♠ Eli.” “I’ll miss my time at the SWRS very much.”
“Everything it was cracked up to be and more!”
“…it has been so lovely to interact with so many great people.”
“Thanks again! Happy hour really improves group dynamics.”
“Another highlight of the bee course was the opportunity to network and meet other students.”
“It’s just great. How about a reunion?”