Professor Dr. Caitlyn Forster

Biography

Caitlyn Forster is an Associate Lecturer in the School of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Sydney. She completed her MPhil in 2018 and her PhD in 2023, focusing on using behavioral economics to understand pollinator behavior, particularly among stingless bees, bumblebees, and honeybees. Caitlyn is currently the unit coordinator for Biology of Insects, where she explores major themes such as pollinator behavior, citizen science, taxonomic bias, and conservation education. Her research delves into how people interact with nature through citizen science initiatives, ensuring individuals appreciate the important aspects of nature connection. Additionally, she studies insect behavior, investigating how insects choose their foraging strategies. Caitlyn has conducted research on ant and bee foraging behavior and has been involved in training bees for pollination purposes. Her interests also include entomological education and the ethical perspectives surrounding insect collections. She is a member of the Sydney Environment Institute and the Sydney Institute of Agriculture, and she is currently researching the impact of Two-Stage exams on learning outcomes.

Research Interests

Awards