The COVID-19 pandemic complicated many opportunities for people, but not 17-year-old Marek Stanton for designing a new license plate for the state of Oregon.

Stanton was attending Oregon State University’s melittology–the study of bees–webinar series during the pandemic when he was recommended to join the program. 

What OSU didn’t realize was that Stanton was only 14 years old at the time. 

His interest in bees did not happen though when attending the series, it actually came from a movie, “E.O Wilson: Of Ants and Men” on Oregon Public Broadcasting about ant researcher Edward O. Wilson.

“I made the connection that I could have a career as an entomologist or just studying nature in general,” Stanton said. 

He realized he couldn’t easily study ants because he would need a lab. Stanton instead landed on bees.

Through researching his interest, Stanton found the Oregon Bee Atlas and their Master Melittologist Program, through OSU extension service. 

According to their website, “The Oregon Bee Atlas Master Melittologist Program trains and equips citizen scientists.”

Stanton then attended the master melittologists bee school that is held every summer. To express his gratitude for letting him take part in it, he wrote thank you cards and drew pictures to send to the program. 

Stanton said the staff was appreciative of his gratitude and loved his art. They asked him if he had interest in submitting a drawing for a license plate. 

“I put a submission in with the possibility in mind, but not the expectation that it would go through or be the one chosen but it was,” Stanton said. 

According to OSU’s College of Agricultural sciences website, Stanton’s license plate is currently in production. 

On Nov. 1, the license plates will be issued to the public, according to the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles implementation team. The license plate features the managed honey bee and wild yellow-faced bumble bee. 

His mother, Kalika Stanton, mentioned how on top of going to school, attending this program and working on art, he’s also involved in another project. 

“In the last year, he got Estacada–our city–designated as a bee city,” K. Stanton said.

Bee City USA is a program that “recognizes, supports, and encourages pollinator conservation in cities, towns and counties.”

“With the Bee City USA designation, we already set up a committee, which I am chairing,” Stanton said. 

After high school, his plan is to transfer to OSU to get a bachelor’s degree in zoology and a minor in art. 

He wants to continue pursuing both his interests: pollination and plants, as well as art. 

Stanton is someone that finds art useful for communicating science to people.