Undergraduate students follow Senior Research Scientist Nick Record (front) while exploring Allen Island during a weekend field trip for the Sea Change Semester program in 2023. Evan Henerberry photo

Successful conservation and discovery efforts require an all-hands-on-deck approach. 

With this in mind, the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences has appointed its first marine educator, Aislyn Keyes, to oversee its burgeoning suite of educational programs and to inspire the next generation of scientists. 

Marine Educator Aislyn Keyes teaches visiting Colby College geology students oceanographic field methods aboard the R/V Bowditch. Bess Koffman photo

Her onboarding was part of a larger expansion: a new 25,000-square-foot wing set to open in May.

“Now, more than ever, it’s important for everyone to understand scientific processes,” Keyes said. “It will allow us all to navigate uncertainty better and make informed decisions about policy and conservation.”

The Center for Ocean Education and Innovation — funded by a $30 million grant from the Harold Alfond Foundation, the National Institute of Standards and Technology and private donations — increases Bigelow’s footprint off Ocean Point Road by over 40%. It features a 200-seat gathering space for programs and public events and two dedicated teaching labs to allow multiple programs to run simultaneously. 

Construction will wrap up mid-March to ensure the facility is fully operational this spring when the Keller BLOOM and Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs begin. 

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“Science applies to our lives in critical ways we may not immediately realize,” Keyes said. “As our work expands, so does our opportunity to invite more Mainers into the conversation.” 

Senior Research Scientist David Fields (center) and Research Associate Maura Niemisto (left) look at plankton samples with a student on an educational research cruise for the Sea Change Semester program in 2021. Yoon Byun photo

Small but mighty

Since its early days, the institute’s education efforts have evolved into four core programs for high schoolers and beyond. 

The longest-running is the Keller BLOOM program for high school juniors, as well as the REU program, which is a 10-week summer internship for college students. Both allow participants to gain hands-on experience and work with scientists in the field.

Similarly, the accredited Sea Change Semester for college juniors gets students out on the water every two weeks, and the BLOOM educators program for teachers helps develop classroom curriculum and year-round resources to support the rollout of new science units. 

“Given our current climate crisis, this is a pivotal moment for communicating with the public,” said Benjamin Twining, vice president for education at Bigelow Laboratory. “Our scientists feel strongly motivated to answer scientific questions, publish their findings and engage with people directly through education. We need the next generation to help tackle these issues and seek new solutions.” 

Until now, Twining has had to clear lab desk space for demonstrations and reschedule meetings when the conference room was in use. The new wing’s design considers this, providing increased flexibility and event capacity. 

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“We’re excited to have two separate laboratories,” Twining said. “One for microscopy and the other for general science and chemistry use, optimized for water sampling.” 

Founded in 1974, six years after the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, Bigelow Laboratory is considerably younger than the two well-known independent research labs in Maine, the MDI Biological Laboratory (founded in 1898) and The Jackson Laboratory (founded in 1929). 

It’s smaller, too, and despite the upcoming expansion, hopes to stay that way. 

“Our size allows us to make an impact,” Twining said. “When students join us, they aren’t part of a machine; they work directly with senior scientists and foster close, personal connections that last beyond the span of the program — gaining mentors they can later turn to for advice, references and networking opportunities.”

A student in the Sea Change Semester program in 2023 collects sediment samples from Edgecomb Eddy for a classroom lab experience. Collin Sheehan photo

Broadening to reach grade school

In addition to teaching, Keyes helps the education team with program logistics and recruitment. She also takes external groups, such as college students, on the institute’s research vessel and directs the Sea Change Semester. 

A central part of her role is supporting senior scientists, whether they want to get involved in an education program, become better mentors or develop a new class to teach at a partner institution. 

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This year, she plans to develop lesson plans that complement the BLOOM educators program to help inland teachers emphasize the connections between freshwater and saltwater systems so that students can engage with marine science more effectively.

“There have been a lot of questions about changes in sea surface temperatures and what that means, in respect to the deep sea,” Keyes said. “Overall, the general curiosity seems to be about what’s happening in our ocean and how that will have cascading impacts on marine life and Maine communities.” 

Looking ahead, Keyes hopes to collaborate with elementary teachers to broaden the scope of the institute’s work. 

As a newcomer to the area, she has started networking nearby. In the spring, a Boothbay Region High School marine science class will visit the new wing for a field trip. 

To broaden her cast, Keyes invited educators statewide to email her at akeyes@bigelow.org to strike up a conversation.

Undergraduate students in the Sea Change Semester program in 2023 take notes during a classroom lab exercise with Postdoctoral Scientist Laura Sofen (right). Collin Sheehan photo

The power of mentorship

Although the program length and audience vary, Keyes has identified a common theme of mentorship. Participants often cite their relationships with senior scientists as their “favorite part” of their experience.

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Hailing from the Midwest, Keyes got the ocean bug early on during childhood trips to the Great Lakes. The pull was so strong she decided to become a marine biologist. Quickly, though, she turned from research and toward outreach, having found that much of her fulfillment came from sharing the joy of science with others. 

While pursuing her doctorate, Dr. Laura Dee, an associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado Boulder, became a close mentor.

“She was exceptional for several reasons,” Keyes said. “She supported me through the transition away from full-time research. I learned firsthand that having a mentor during moments of doubt is invaluable. ” 

Deep relationships with students and staff are also common at Bigelow Laboratory. As a senior at Colby College, Annabelle Warren, for example, participated in the 2021 Sea Change Semester program and later returned, encouraged by a mentor she made at the institute to attend the 2024 REU program. 

Having grown up in land-locked Arkansas, Warren had little knowledge of or experience with the ocean. During the Sea Change Semester Program, she described seeking comfort in a small lab cohort where she conducted experiments, received feedback and engaged in fieldwork on the institute’s R/V Bowditch, collecting zooplankton samples from the Damariscotta River. 

“The experience showed me what career scientists do and what I was capable of,” Warren said. “I matched with senior research scientist Dr. Rachel Sipler during the independent research portion. She gave me guidance and freedom; I found confidence in myself and my future in just a few months.”

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Senior Research Scientist David Fields (right) helps a student deploy a CDT, a standard device to collect oceanographic data, on an educational research cruise for the Sea Change Semester program in 2021. Yoon Byun photo

Nudged by Sipler, Warren pursued the REU program last summer. She and a handful of other students from her session were chosen to attend the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography conference in North Carolina in March. 

“My time at Bigelow encouraged me to pursue graduate school,” Warren said. “The ocean is big, and I have faith there will always be something for me to discover.” 

Now a high school senior, Bay Nadeau attended the Keller BLOOM program after attending the Maine Coast Semester at Chewonki. 

“BLOOM stands for Bigelow Laboratory Orders of Magnitude,” Nadeau said. “It’s all about relationships between trophic levels in the ocean and how energy is passed between them. The sea is home to some of Earth’s largest and smallest creatures. We leaned into that during the program.” 

Like Keyes, Nadeau hopes to pursue a career in marine ecology and, one day,  lead a BLOOM program. 

“I got a glimpse into the world of real-time science in the Gulf of Maine and felt a great sense of pride seeing what our wonderful state is involved in,” Nadeau said. 

Those interested in applying for an education program at Bigelow Laboratory can visit bigelow.org/education/programs for more information. Donations to support the facility’s expansion can be made at bigelow.org/support/donate.

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