Indiana State Beekeepers Association Honors Senior Biology Major

November 27, 2006

November 27, 2006, Greencastle, Ind. - Marisa Yochum, a senior biology major and Science Research Fellow at DePauw University, has been named Honey Princess by the Indiana State Beekeepers Association (ISBA). Among other things, Yochum and other contestants were judged on their essays and knowledge about beekeeping. "I wrote about how using honey over sugar as a sweetener can make an impact on global warming," Yochum tells the Plymouth Pilot News in a story detailing her award.

The newspaper's Joseph Raymond writes that Yochum described how "processing sugar takes several steps using chemicals and contributes to global warming by producing greenhouse gases. Using honey in place of sugar can help reduce these emissions, according to Marisa," he reports.

Yochum's father is an amateur beekeeper, the story notes. The recently-crowned Honey Princess has already traveled to the Children's Museum in Indianapolis to discuss the chemistry of honey with the scientists of tomorrow. "Marisa will tour the state on behalf of the ISBA as a spokeswoman for honey, culminating in spending two weeks at the Indiana State Fair next year... After graduating with a degree in biology and French, Marisa plans to go to graduate school to continue her studies in biology. She wants to focus her studies on the evolution of the immune system," the article states.

Read the complete story by clicking here.

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