The glow of blown glass and the buzz of native bees converge this spring in a unique celebration of art and science. On April 24, The Glass Station Studio and Gallery in Wakefield will host Pollinator Night – an evening spotlighting the Glass Bee Fellowship, a program that funds vital pollinator research at the University of Rhode Island (URI).
Local artist Jennifer Nauck launched the Glass Bee Fellowship by channeling proceeds from her popular glass bee sculptures into summer research grants for URI undergraduates. Now in its third year, the fellowship is nearing its $5,000 funding goal for 2025. “Every bee I make helps support real research that impacts our local ecosystems,” Nauck says. “It’s a way to connect people to science through beauty and curiosity.”
This year’s Glass Bee Fellow, Abby Gill, a double major in biological and environmental sciences, spent the summer researching cranberry pollination and surveying native bee populations. Working under Dr. Steven Alm at the URI Bee Lab, Gill studied pollination differences between cultivated and wild cranberry bogs. “I learned how much still needs to be understood about native pollinators,” Gill says. “It was exciting to contribute to work that could help both farmers and conservationists.”
At Pollinator Night, Gill and Dr. Alm will present their findings in a public talk. The Rhode Island Wild Plant Society will also be on hand, offering guidance on supporting pollinator species health through native plantings and its ReSeeding RI initiative.
The evening uplifts the intersections of conservation science and community, and Nauck’s glass bees serve as a fitting tribute to the cause. “Art can do more than decorate a home,” she says. “It can help protect the world outside of it.” Pollinator Night is free and open to the public, but space is limited. Guests are encouraged to RSVP online.
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