Laurence D. Packer

Laurence D. Packer is a Full Professor of Biology at York University, part of the Faculty of Science. He holds the title of Distinguished Research Professor of Melittology and is a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society. His research focuses on wild bees, encompassing taxonomy, phylogeny, biogeography, and conservation genetics, with a globally significant collection of over 300,000 bee specimens. Packer’s lab pioneered the Bee Barcode of Life (BeeBOL) initiative, generating over 12,000 DNA barcodes for bee species.

Education: PhD in Zoology (University of Toronto, 1986), B.A. (Hons) in Zoology (University of Oxford, 1976). He has supervised numerous students, including 9 PhDs, 21 MScs, and 32 honours thesis students. Key research themes include bee systematics, pollinator decline, and DNA barcoding.

Major awards include the Excellence in Graduate Mentorship Award (2011) and recognition for his book *Keeping the Bees*, which won awards for environmental journalism. His work spans international collaborations, including projects in Chile, India, Kenya, and China. Packer has authored/edited over 150 peer-reviewed publications and held editorial roles at *Canadian Journal of Zoology* and *Insect Conservation and Diversity*.

Grants include funding from NSERC, National Geographic Society, and private donations, totaling millions for bee research. Media engagements include appearances on NPR, CBC, and international outlets discussing bee conservation and taxonomy.