Project Apis m., a non-profit organization that administers funds and directs research to enhance the health and vitality of honey bee colonies while improving crop production, recently announced they will fund seven research projects seeking to answer key questions about bee health.
Among the funded projects is Electronic Data Collection and Sensor Integration for Data Aggregation, Best Management Practices Data Mining and Smart Hive Development. The project will be led by Appalachian State University's Joseph Cazier, who directs the university's Center for Analytics Research and Education, housed in the Walker College of Business, and James Wilkes, who chairs Appalachian's Computer Science Department.
The funding is part of the Healthy Hives 2020 initiative, an initiative of the Bayer Bee Care Program, administered by Project Apis m. with the goal of improving the health of honey bee colonies in the United States by the year 2020.
Cazier's work aims to establish a standardized platform for consistent and reliable collection of human and natural order data from commercial and hobby beekeepers, using advanced data analytics across multiple apiary locations. The comprehensive analysis will examine beekeeping economics, best management practices, smart hive development and robust data collection and analytics.
Additional funded projects cover critical bee health topics such as bee nutrition, Varroa and disease management, and enhanced management techniques through smart-hive technology.
The recipients were selected from a total of 23 research proposals seeking to provide practical and tangible solutions to the key issues affecting the U.S. beekeeping industry. More projects will be funded as the Healthy Hives initiative moves forward.
"Project Apis m. is dedicated to honey bee health and we are so excited about this initial round of grant recipients," said Danielle Downey, the director of operations for Project Apis m. and Healthy Hives 2020 program manager. "Today's beekeepers are faced with a broad range of issues and are in urgent need of practical solutions to improve the health of their hives. We believe these projects will be critical to helping us enhance the vitality of honey bee colonies, while also improving crop productivity."
About the Center for Analytics Research and Education
The Center for Analytics Research and Education (CARE) at Appalachian State University uses analytics to promote positive behavioral change in the world. Housed in the Walker College of Business, CARE utilizes faculty expertise and student skills in Big Data and Analytics to promote research and education in analytics that will lead to pro-social human behavioral change in the areas of Sustainability, Education, Economic Development, HR Science, and Health & Wellness. For more information, visit businesscare.appstate.edu.
Walker College professor to further research on key bee health questions
Walker College professor to further research on key bee health questions