Meet the Instructors

Dr. Jerry Bromenshenk

Bromenshenk received his Ph.D. in insect ethology (behavior) from Montana State University. He co-founded Bee Alert Technology in 2003 and is the statewide director of Montana's EPSCoR program (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research). His research focuses on insect behavior, ecotoxicology, population dynamics, and environmental chemistry. He recently served as president of WAS - Western Apiculture Society. Dr. Bromenshenk has 40 years experience working with honeybees.

Dr. Scott Debnam

Dr. Scott Debnam is a graduate of the University of Montana Wildlife Biology program and has 23 years experience managing the research colonies for the University of Montana. He completed his Master's degree in Pollination Ecology in 2016 through the University of Montana's Organismal Biology, Ecology, & Evolution program and his Ph.D. in Insect Physiology from the Division of Biological Sciences in 2022. His research focuses on nest thermoregulation and the economics associated with thermoregulation. He, of course, uses the honeybee as the model species for this research. Debnam is a Yale Scientific Teaching fellow who possesses extensive expertise with honey bee ailments and pests. He possesses an intimate knowledge of the insects that he is eager to pass on to others. 

Phillip Welch

Welch is a graduate of the University of Montana Biology Program. He has a broad skill-set based in the natural sciences coupled with 19 years experience managing honeybees for agriculture and for scientific studies. Phillip has participated in research at Sandia National Labs, the University of Montana, and Bee Alert Technology. These studies have ranged from training bees to find land mines to finding better ways of monitoring hive health for commercial beekeepers. Phillip is also a backyard-beekeeper who enjoys the benefits of pollination in his family garden and orchard.