Dr. Jody Gerdts is the founder and Director of Bee Scientifics, a Benalla, Victoria based company focused on selective breeding, research, nutrition, and beekeeper education. As a fourth generation beekeeper and accomplished scientist, Jody works to integrate innovative scientific advances into commercial beekeeping practices.

Her PhD work focused on the relationship between hygienic behaviour and chalkbrood infection in Australian honey bees and she continues to work on understanding how to breed bees for exceptional commercial traits and resistance to pathogens and pests. Jody’s interest in breeding bees for Varroa resistance has been supported through two prestigious fellowships: International Specialised Skills Institute and Veski Fellowship providing opportunity for international travel and collaboration with some of the world’s leading experts.

When not up to her elbows in bees, Jody loves to load up the caravan, daughter, two dogs, and bikes go on adventures in the Australian bush.