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$169,777 is 67% of the way to our SML fund goal for calendar year 2016! We're 2/3 of the way there! Only 1/3 to go!
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2017 dates and offerings are coming soon!
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Dear Friends of Shoals Marine Laboratory,
The waves of Tropical Storm Hermine spilled dramatically over the rocks of Broad Cove the other day. It reminded me of our
50th summer season...which felt like a wonderful and colorful wave of SML support and celebration! I am humbled and grateful to be a part of this amazing institution which for 50 years has built a
world class reputation for marine education and research. Our students' work this summer reflects 50 years of excellence. You can see it in their eagerness to wake up for sunrise bird walks in Field Ornithology, in their exuberance for carrying out ground fish surveys in Sustainable Fisheries, and in their dedication to detail during plankton abundance profiling in Field Oceanography. More evidence came from the SML Research Interns who continue to impress with rigorous independent studies on everything from the breeding behavior of gulls to development of a new intertidal citizen science program! We are excited to be supporting many of them to present their work to the Regional Association for Research in the Gulf of Maine annual meeting in October.
The wave of alumni and supporters who joined us for SML's 50th Anniversary Celebration in August provide another great example of our accomplishments over the last 50 years - what an amazing, knowledgeable group of people who credit SML for making a positive difference on their careers and lives!
If you missed this event, please see the review and videos below! I want to extend a
very special thanks to our entire SML community for your support. We are grateful and looking forward to continuing to celebrate the magic of SML on the mainland with you this fall and winter.
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Shoals Marine Laboratory's 50th Anniversary Weekend (August 19-21, 2016) was full of stories and memories, island adventures, delicious meals, meaningful discussions, and excitement for the next 50 years and beyond!
On August 19th, over 75 SML community members (alumni, friends, faculty, and staff) gathered at the Seacoast Science Center in Rye, NH to hear from five distinguished SML alumni, representing classes from 1971 to 2015. The "Shoals Scientists Speak" talks highlighted the importance of the SML experience across five decades.
To view all five talks, please click here! (hosted on YouTube)
The next morning, a crowd gathered at the Market Street dock in Portsmouth, NH to board
not one,
not two, but THREE research vessels en route to Appledore Island to continue the celebration. In all, 130 people made the trip to SML - wow! Activities included bird banding demonstrations, intertidaling, sustainability tours, garden walks, a Strategic Planning Workshop, and the makings of an SML Alumni & Friends Association. A lobster dinner and fundraising auction capped off the first night with over $7000 raised for SML!
Photos of the weekend's activities are posted on SML's Facebook page. Click on the different links below: (You do
not need to have a Facebook account to view the photos online.)
Stay tuned for more information about the SML Alumni & Friends Association coming soon! In the meantime, to connect with SML alumni or for any questions about the 50th Anniversary Weekend, please
contact us
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Celebrate 50 Weekend group photo by David Murray. © David J Murray.
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Help us chart the future of SML!
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To ensure that we sail into a sustainable and bright future, we are currently in the process of creating a ten-year strategic plan that will chart our course ahead. Our planning effort is focused on such topics as increasing financial stability; innovating educational experiences; improving our approach to program marketing; enhancing unique research opportunities; and ensuring that we are creating a life-enhancing organization for our students and entire community.
We hosted 5 successful workshops on the island and on the mainland (Durham and Ithaca) this summer as part of the process. We would love to hear from those of you who have not yet participated.
Your input and expertise are greatly needed! Please help us shape our strategic direction and define our priorities and goals.
If you would like to participate in SML's Strategic Planning Process, please click here to follow a link to a survey site.
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By Dr. Robin Hadlock Seeley (SML-Cornell Academic Coordinator)
We had several events celebrating and examining Appledore Island's history this past summer that we would like to share with you! The Durant family (great-grandchildren of Cedric Laighton) revitalized the Laighton Cemetery one hot July day, repairing Cedric, Celia and Oscar's tipping headstones. The job was completed in just a few hours! Among them was Dr. John Durant, Tufts University engineering professor and faculty mentor for SML's Sustainable Engineering Internship.
In another event, Celia's porch and salon were the subject of a archaeological investigation by Independent Archaeological Consulting, LLC. After conducting field research on island and conducting a thorough literature review, they confirmed the location of several foundation stones for the porch and as well as the west foundation wall of Celia's salon. Over 1,000 artifacts, most of which were window glass, were retrieved. The archaeologists were wonderfully agreeable to host and mentor Josie Tarbell, UNH Archaeology undergraduate, who proved to be an eager learner and great field researcher.
Finally, Dr. Arthur Spiess of Maine Historic Preservation Commission visited Appledore for a day to review archaeological sites, with particular attention to making sure MHPC's maps and information on these sites were correct. We are thrilled to have these sites documented and protection for them increased through these efforts. Understanding the human past on Appledore is critically important to understanding our current marine and terrestrial landscapes on and offshore of Appledore Island. We believe these partnerships with archeology make our ability to understand and teach marine biology strong and unique. We will continue to look for more opportunities to expand our knowledge and protect our history!
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The Durant Family at the Laighton Graveyard.
Photo by Robin Hadlock Seeley.
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Local Artists Celebrate the Isles of Shoals
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The Todd Bonita Gallery in Portsmouth, NH is currently showing "Oceanic: Paintings of the Isles of Shoals" at its location at 39 Ceres Street, until Oct 4th.
Included in the show are paintings and charcoal drawings by artists Alastair Dacey and
Christopher Volpe created while participating in SML's artist-in-residence (Shoals AIR) program. The
Shoals AIR program is designed to inject artistic creativity into the experiences of the undergraduate students doing fieldwork and taking classes at the lab.
The Shoals AIR program immerses artists in the life of scientific research here at SML. Artists bring their talents to bear, offering workshops and instruction to our young scientists. The shared need for careful observation and interpretation of nature creates a natural partnership between artist and scientist. We hope to foster deep inquisitiveness and creativity in the process of scientific inquiry among our students and research community, and inspiration from marine science for the artists.
Thanks to Alastair and Chris for generously donating a portion of the proceeds from sales of their art during this show to SML in honor of our 50th Anniversary. We are happy to join our Isles of Shoals partners in this show! A special Happy 100th Anniversary to Star Island! For more information about the gallery and to take home a beautiful expression of Appledore for the benefit of SML,
click here.
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SML AIR Artists Chris Volpe (left) & Alastair Dacey (right) with SML's Dr. Jennifer Seavey on opening night
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Summer 2016 Internship Blogs!
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Shoals Marine Laboratory hosted 17 undergraduate research interns this summer, as part of 7 unique internship programs! Interns spend 2-10 weeks on Appledore Island, immersing themselves in their research and the SML community. Many of them will go on to present their summer findings at the RARGOM conference on October 13th.
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Ecological Genomics
Intern Sarah Samordnitsky (Cornell) juggled island life and the Plachetzki Lab on UNH's campus this summer as she collected samples and began sequencing the genomes of several intertidal and subtidal species from around Appledore. This is the first time a coordinated effort has been made to sequence Appledore's invertebrate community!
Read Sarah's Ecological Genomics blog!
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Gull Population Biology
Interns, Mary Everett (UMass) and Taylor Ouellette (Univ. of New England), in collaboration with Liam Berigan (Cornell) monitored the Herring and Great Black-backed gull populations around the island. They came up with a great idea to highlight specific banded individuals to the SML community as "Gull of the Week." Do you have a favorite gull?!
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In Closing
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The tidal wave of support this summer included a lot of media attention from the local Portsmouth Herald to the New York Times. Thanks to many of you who helped spread the word about SML in our 50th year! The Hassam exhibit at the Peabody Essex Museum is open until November 6th- feel free to join me there in October and November, while I try to extend the summer longer by gazing at the beautiful landscapes of Appledore depicted in the Hassam paintings! Please also check out our progress toward our annual goal and contribute if you can. We are grateful for all who have helped us get this far; together we can blaze a path for SML's continued success.
With deep appreciation and warm wishes,
Jennifer Seavey, Ph.D.
Kingsbury Director of the Shoals Marine Laboratory
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