May 2025

News from the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology

May is ending and warm weather is arriving. Summer at IMET is always filled with excitement—from our annual open house to the upcoming 2025 summer internship program. We’re also proud to share our 2024 annual report, highlighting a year of innovation, impact, and discovery.

IMET's 2024 Annual Report

Our 2024 annual report is here and more engaging than ever. Take some time to see all of the incredible things that are happening here at IMET. IMET is a complex place doing remarkable things—and this report brings it all together.

Congratulations to Dr. Frank Robb!

IMET hosted a symposium on May 7th honoring Dr. Frank Robb’s 37-year career studying life in extreme environments. The event featured opening remarks by Russell Hill and Dr. Rita Colwell, followed by presentations from leading scientists on topics ranging from deep-sea microbes and Antarctic biocatalysts to converting plastic into protein.


Speakers included researchers from Johns Hopkins, Rutgers, Michigan Tech, Case Western, and Fundación Biosciencia. The symposium closed with reflections from Dr. Jim Kaper (UMB).

Dr. Shiladitya DasSarma named Sustainability Champion

Photo: Taken by Gary Jones on Feb 27, 2015—just after the first EV charger was installed in the IMET garage.


Shil's work continues to push boundaries—from studying life in extreme environments to creating nanoparticles for vaccines and cancer treatment. He co-founded MIT Alumni for Climate Action, supporting clean energy policy. Whether in the lab or at home, Shil leads by example. 


He also lives by these values: drives an EV, limits flying, and plants trees on his land. Shil’s work on microbes in harsh places helps us better understand climate and life on other planets. He’s also helped advance climate solutions, both through research and personal action.


Thanks to his early push ten years ago, The IMET garage now has six EV chargers. Thanks, Shil, for sparking change.


IMET Open House: Outdoors!

IMET successfully hosted a full open house outdoors, and the weather was absolutely perfect! Guests explored science stations, met our researchers, and enjoyed hands-on activities—all under clear skies. It was a memorable day of science, community, and connection.

A special thank you to Chénira’s family for their incredible help setting up for our open house! They arrived bright and early and did a fantastic job getting everything ready for our guests. Chénira organized a fabulous open house yet again!

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