Woods Hole Business Association

MBL Falmouth Forum: "From Falmouth to the West Wing—A Speechwriter’s Journey" - Terry Szuplat, Author
2024-09-29 02:00 - 15:00 UTC | Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
Lectures are open to the public for in-person and virtual attendance. Free parking is available in any MBL lot. No registration required for in-person attendance. Please Note: This lecture is on a Sunday at 2pm.
A book signing will follow the presentation
Lecture Abstract: Terry Szuplat, one of President Obama’s longest-serving White House speechwriters, will share the valuable lessons he learned in that role. He will explain how these insights can help anyone become a more compelling speaker, communicator, and leader in their own work and daily life. In addition to discussing his debut book, Say It Well: Find Your Voice, Speak Your Mind, Inspire Any Audience, Terry will reflect on his journey from his hometown of Falmouth, Massachusetts, to working alongside President Obama in the Oval Office, aboard Air Force One, and during their visits to more than 40 countries.
Terry Szuplat, a 1991 graduate of Falmouth High School, served as a special assistant to President Barack Obama and a member of the National Security Council staff from 2009-2017, and as deputy director of the White House Speechwriting Office from 2013-2017. Today, he teaches political speechwriting as an adjunct professorial lecturer at his alma mater, American University’s School of Public Affairs, and runs his own speechwriting firm, Global Voices Communications. Originally from East Falmouth, he now lives outside Washington, D.C. with his wife and two children.

MBL Falmouth Forum: “Untold Power: The Fascinating Rise and Complex Legacy of First Lady Edith Wilson” - Rebecca Roberts, Author
2024-10-18 19:30 - 20:30 | Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
Lectures are open to the public for in-person and virtual attendance. Free parking is available in any MBL lot. No registration required for in-person attendance. Doors open at 7:00 PM, lectures start at 7:30 PM.
A book signing will follow the presentation
Lecture Abstract: While this nation has yet to elect its first woman president—and though history has downplayed her role—just over a century ago a woman became the nation’s first acting president. In fact, she was born in 1872, and her name was Edith Bolling Galt Wilson. She climbed her way out of Appalachian poverty and into the highest echelons of American power and in 1919 effectively acted as the first woman president of the U.S. (before women could even vote nationwide) when her husband, Woodrow Wilson, was incapacitated. Beautiful, brilliant, charismatic, catty, and calculating, she was a complicated figure whose personal quest for influence reshaped the position of First Lady into one of political prominence forever. And still, nobody truly understands who she was.
Rebecca Boggs Roberts is an award-winning educator, author, and speaker, and is a leading historian of American women’s suffrage and civic participation. Her books include the award-winning The Suffragist Playbook: Your Guide to Changing the World; Suffragists in Washington, D.C.: The 1913 Parade and the Fight for the Vote; and Historic Congressional Cemetery. She is currently deputy director of events at the Library of Congress and has previously worked as a journalist, producer, tour guide, forensic anthropologist, event planner, political consultant, jazz singer, and radio talk show host. Roberts serves on the board of the National Archives Foundation, on the Council of Advisors of the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation, and on the Editorial Advisory Committee of the White House Historical Association. She lives in Washington, DC, with her husband, their three sons, and a long-eared hound dog.
Join Us for Dinner
An optional buffet dinner precedes each Falmouth Forum lecture.
6:00 PM: Swope Center, 5 North Street, Woods Hole
Tickets: $40/each or reserve a table of eight
Purchase tickets at https://www.mbl.edu/events/falmouth-forum
Registration for the dinners close one week prior to the event. We regret that no tickets will be sold at the door.

WHOI's Ocean Encounters: Geology Rocks!
2024-10-23 19:30 - 20:30
Careers exploring volcanoes, earthquakes, and more
Want to sail the world to measure seismic activity at the bottom of the ocean? Detect fault zones and protect people from earthquakes and tsunamis? Or just geek out over cool rocks and the inner workings of our planet? A career in geology may be just the thing!
Join us as we talk with three people with very different jobs—all in geology—about how they got into the field and where their careers are taking them.
Host and Panels
WHOI host: Véronique LaCapra, Director of Special Projects
Hannah Brewer, seismometer technician
WHOI Rufus Catchings, research geophysicist
USGS Denali Kincaid, volcanologist
REGISTER

Halloween in the Hole
2024-10-26 08:00 - 17:00 | Woods Hole

MBL Falmouth Forum: “The Horseshoe Crab: Ancient Mariner and Modern Medicine” - Michael Dawson, Biologist
2024-11-22 19:30 - 20:30 | Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
Lectures are open to the public for in-person and virtual attendance. Free parking is available in any MBL lot. No registration required for in-person attendance. Doors open at 7:00 PM, lectures start at 7:30 PM.
Lecture Abstract: Horseshoe crabs are iconic animals of Cape Cod with a fascinating biology, some of which will be explored in this talk. Topics include their life cycle, conservation status, unique blood clotting mechanism, and the discovery of Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) at the Marine Biological Laboratory. LAL testing has greatly benefited those who have received injectable therapies like vaccinations, intravenous solutions, and drugs, as well as treatments with certain medical devices. Additionally, the LAL test is used to diagnose suspected systemic fungal infections.
Michael Dawson received an undergraduate degree in Zoology from the University of Wales and a Ph.D. from the Department of Oceanography at the University of Southampton, both in the United Kingdom. Before graduate school, he worked in Cambridge, MA on the potential for marine bacteria to degrade oil in their environment. After earning his doctorate, he taught Environmental Science for three years at the Roehampton Institute (now Roehampton University) in London. He then joined Associates of Cape Cod, Inc. (ACC) in Falmouth, MA, where he worked for thirty years. During his time at ACC, he advanced to Senior Vice President, overseeing the production of reagents, instrumentation, and software. He concluded his career as the Director of Regulatory Affairs. While at ACC he gave presentations and taught courses around the world for organizations ranging from the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia to the Hyannis Rotary Club. He has served on the Horseshoe Crab Conservation Committee (now the Horseshoe Crab Conservation Association) on Cape Cod and the Advisory Panel to the Horseshoe Crab Management Board of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

Small Business Saturday
2024-11-30 | Woods Hole
Small Business Saturday is a nationally recognized day to celebrate and support small businesses and all they do for their local communities. When we talk about supporting small business in Woods Hole, it’s practically impossible to not! Most Woods Hole businesses are independently owned, and even a small shift in holiday spending towards a local business translates to a stronger local economy, jobs and a more resilient community. Each year on Small Business Saturday you can expect local retail stores to offer a sale or discount, while our local restaurants typically participate by offering a happy hour special.

Shopping

Handworks: 10% off

Masterson Made: 20% off everything

MBL Gift Shop: 20% off everything, including sale

Soft as a Grape: $199.99-$29.99 for familu favorites

Dining

Captain Kidd: $1 oysters & wings from 3-5pm

Landfall: Happy Hour from 4-6pm & 10% off gift cards

Pie in the Sky: $1 hot coffee or tea & 20% off merchandise

The Leeside: 50% off appetizer 5-7pm & $5 free gift card for every $35 gift card purchase

Woods Hole Market & General Store: Holiday Gift Basket raffle

Lodging

Woods Hole Inn: 20% off gift certificates

Treehouse Lodge: 20% off gift certificates

MBL Falmouth Forum: “Provincetown: A Century of Creativity” - Christine McCarthy, CEO, Provincetown Art Association and Museum
2024-12-06 19:30 - 20:30 | Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
Lectures are open to the public for in-person and virtual attendance. Free parking is available in any MBL lot. No registration required for in-person attendance. Doors open at 7:00 PM, lectures start at 7:30 PM.
This lecture will trace the beginnings of the Provincetown Art Colony and the significant role that the Provincetown Art Association and Museum has played in preserving one of the most important legacies in American art history.
Christine McCarthy is the Chief Executive Officer of the Provincetown Art Association and Museum (PAAM) in Provincetown, MA (since 2001). She is responsible for all artistic, administrative, fiscal and strategic directions of the largest presenter of Cape Cod art by national, regional and international artists.

MBL Falmouth Forum: “The Poisoner's Guide to Life” - Deborah Blum, Science Journalist/Author
2025-01-10 19:30 - 20:30 | The Cornelia Clapp Auditorium, MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
For more than 30 years, the Falmouth Forum, presented by the Friends of the MBL, has brought free cultural enrichment to our community. This season will feature captivating speakers that will deliver powerful talks with a wide range of subjects. Lectures are free and open to the public for in-person and virtual attendance. Free parking is available in any MBL lot. No registration required for in-person attendance. Doors open at 7:00 PM, lectures start at 7:30 PM.
A book signing will follow the presentation
Lecture Abstract: This talk will explore the historical use of poisons in murder, examining the ethical decisions societies make when allowing lethal compounds to be widely accessible for economic reasons. It will also delve into how killers, particularly female poisoners—the focus of the author’s upcoming book—have exploited this availability. Additionally, the talk will highlight the efforts of scientists to detect the use of poisonous substances and leverage that knowledge to bring perpetrators to justice.
Deborah Blum is a Pulitzer Prize-winning science journalist and author, currently serving as the director of the Knight Science Journalism Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Her recent works focus on toxicology and the presence of poisonous compounds in daily life. Notable titles include “The Poisoner’s Handbook,” a national bestseller, and “The Poison Squad,” recognized as a New York Times Notable Book; both have been adapted into PBS documentaries. Blum’s writings have appeared in publications such as The New York Times, Wired, Scientific American, and Science magazine. She is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a lifetime associate of the National Academy of Sciences, honored for her contributions to science communication.
Join Us for Dinner
An optional buffet dinner precedes each Falmouth Forum lecture.
6:00 PM: Swope Center, 5 North Street, Woods Hole
Tickets: $40/each or reserve a table of eight
Purchase tickets in advance at: https://www.eventsquid.com/event.cfm?id=25623.
Registration for the dinners close one week prior to the event.
We regret that no tickets will be sold at the door.

MBL Falmouth Forum: "The Octopus as Tech: Exploring the Science, Art, and Technological Potential of Nature's Most Spectacular Color Change Artist" - Roger Hanlon, Senior Scientist, MBL
2025-02-07 19:30 - 20:30 | The Cornelia Clapp Auditorium, MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
For more than 30 years, the Falmouth Forum, presented by the Friends of the MBL, has brought free cultural enrichment to our community. This season will feature captivating speakers that will deliver powerful talks with a wide range of subjects. Lectures are free and open to the public for in-person and virtual attendance. Free parking is available in any MBL lot. No registration required for in-person attendance. Doors open at 7:00 PM, lectures start at 7:30 PM.
Lecture Abstract: Cephalopods (octopus, squid, and cuttlefish) exhibit the fastest color changes known on Earth, a capability made possible by direct neural control of their skin’s color, pattern, and 3-D texture. This presentation will take you on a diving extravaganza, showcasing the beauty of ocean habitats and how we gather naturalistic data on animal behavior. Hanlon will briefly review the sensory capabilities of cephalopods, then focus on their visual perception of natural backgrounds, which guides their dynamic camouflage and signaling. This process, often executed in less than a second, is highly effective even in complex environments like coral reefs.
Hanlon will also describe how the cephalopod brain translates sensory input into motor output, creating precise body patterns for camouflage and communication. The emphasis will shift to the neurophysiology of skin chromatophores and iridophores. Hanlon will share insights from his team’s collaborations with the art community—particularly the Rhode Island School of Design—as they explore the nature of color and pattern. Finally, he will present recent advancements in bio-inspired materials and engineering, which mimic cephalopods’ rapid color pattern changes for various practical applications.
Roger Hanlon is a leading expert on cephalopod behavior, especially their camouflage abilities, which are unmatched in the animal kingdom. He is a diving biologist — he and his collaborators conduct field studies of cephalopods in several parts of the world’s oceans, as well as a wide range of laboratory experimentation to quantify field observations, including their mechanisms of visual perception and sensory integration as well as the functional morphology of the complex skin that produces the changeable body patterns. Hanlon’s laboratory is highly collaborative and works at multiple levels of integration: from molecules to behavior to whole organisms (the lab’s primary focus) to ec

WHOI's Ocean Encounters: Cities and the Sea
2025-02-27 19:30 - 20:30
Challenges and opportunities in the urban ocean
Many of the world’s largest cities are located on the coast, where people and infrastructure strike a tenuous balance with marine life and ecosystems. In these urban oceans heavily altered by pollution and human activities, who struggles and who thrives? Join us as we explore impacts, adaptations, and new possibilities in urban ocean regions around the world.
For our Zoom viewers: We now have ASL interpretation! To enable, please click the ASL button at the bottom of your Zoom screen.

Staying True to the Indispensable Values of Science
2025-06-13 20:00 - 21:00 | The Cornelia Clapp Auditorium, MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
E.B. Wilson History and Philosophy of Science Lecture
Holden Thorp, Editor-in-Chief, Science Magazine
Registration Link: https://mbl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zgVJaP7JQ5KVn8gnkbzosA
Lecture Abstract: The fundamental fabric of science is under attack in the United States. The long-standing social contract, through which the federal government shares responsibility for scientific infrastructure with academic and research institutions, is under strain. Isolated studies and individual opinions are being used to discredit entire fields. To endure and thrive, science must remain steadfast in its core values: independence, inclusivity, rigorous peer review, and the pursuit of convergent evidence. This resilience also demands humility—recognizing the moments when science falls short, and that American science is just one part of a global endeavor dedicated to advancing knowledge and promoting justice.
Holden Thorp became Editor-in-Chief of the Science family of journals on 28 October 2019. He came to Science from Washington University, where he was provost from 2013 to 2019 and professor from 2013 to 2023. He is currently a professor at George Washington University and is on leave to serve as the editor-in-chief of Science. Thorp joined Washington University after spending three decades at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), where he served as the 10th chancellor from 2008 through 2013. Thorp earned a Bachelor of Science degree from UNC, a doctorate in chemistry from the California Institute of Technology, and completed postdoctoral work at Yale University. He holds honorary degrees from Hofstra University and North Carolina Wesleyan College. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Inventors, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
About the E.B. Wilson History and Philosophy of Science Lecture
The E.B. Wilson History and Philosophy of Science Lecture is given annually on a topic relevant to the history and/or philosophy of science. The Wilson Lecture was endowed in 2014 by Richard Creath and Jane Maienschein, MBL Fellow, and is named in honor of Edmund Beecher Wilson, a pioneering cytologist and geneticist and one of the MBL’s earliest investigators and instructors. Wilson remained affiliated with the MBL as a researcher and trustee throughout his life.

Zebrafish at the Frontline: Investigating Epilepsy Genes and Cultivating New Science Leaders
2025-06-20 20:00 - 21:00 | The Cornelia Clapp Auditorium, MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
Juneteenth Lecture
Gerald Downes, Professor, Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Registration link: https://mbl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Tozfhd2IQn-OG5nkHA9hpQ

From Planarians to Parasites: Mechanisms Regulating Germ Cells and Developmental Plasticity
2025-06-27 20:00 - 21:00 | The Cornelia Clapp Auditorium, MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
Phil Newmark, Burnell R. Roberts Chair in Regenerative Biology at the Morgridge Institute for Research
Registration link: https://mbl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MinAjX0QTx2vVt3-6oUPzg
Lecture Abstract: Planarians are free-living flatworms with extraordinary regenerative abilities. In addition to their somatic tissues, planarians can also regenerate their germ cells. Newmark will review his studies on the systemic control of reproductive system development and regeneration in planarians. He will then present recent work identifying niche-derived factors that regulate germ cell development. This work will show how such signals are deployed differently between planarians and their parasitic cousins, the schistosomes, with important implications for the evolution of these parasites. He will also discuss how his team’s efforts to understand the early development of schistosomes have uncovered a novel strategy these parasites use to evade the host immune system.

July 4th Parade in Woods Hole
2025-07-04 12:00 - 13:00 | Woods Hole
The Woods Hole Fourth of July parade, founded by the Marine Biological Laboratory, features music, costumes, and dancing, all in celebration ofscience. This uniquely nerdy event kicks off at noon on School Street in Woods Hole, ending at Waterfront Park near the Rachel Carson statue.

Woods Hole Contra Dancing
2025-07-05 19:30 - 22:00 | Woods Hole Community Hall, 68 Water St., Falmouth, MA, 02543, United States
with live music from the Woods Hole Folk Orchestra
Adults: $10
Teens: $5
Dress casual, wear comfortable shoes.
More info

It’s Elementary: Making Food More Nutritious
2025-07-11 20:00 - 21:00 | The Cornelia Clapp Auditorium, MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
Glassman Lecture
Mary Lou Guerinot, Ronald and Deborah Harris Professor in the Sciences, Department of Biology, Dartmouth College
Registration link: https://mbl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_oVMHm6W3QiWEFXuN6mHo_g#/registration
Lecture Abstract: Deficiencies of metal micronutrients commonly limit plant growth and reduce crop yields. Because plants are the primary dietary source of micronutrients for most people, enhancing their nutritional content has important implications for human health. Guerinot’s team addresses this challenge by combining high-throughput elemental analysis via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and high-resolution imaging via synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (SXRF) to identify and characterize genes involved in metal uptake, distribution, and storage. Their research focuses on the essential micronutrients iron, manganese, and zinc.
Her team is applying similar methods to investigate how arsenic—a non-threshold, Class 1 human carcinogen—accumulates in plants. This work is especially critical for rice, a staple food for more than half the global population and a major dietary source of arsenic. Understanding the molecular and physiological mechanisms that allow arsenic to enter and accumulate in rice grains is essential for developing strategies to reduce its presence and protect public health.
Mary Lou Guerinot is the Ronald and Deborah Harris Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Dartmouth College. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biology at Cornell University and her Ph.D. in biology from Dalhousie University, followed by postdoctoral studies at the University of Maryland and the DOE–MSU Plant Research Laboratory. She has served as chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, Associate Dean of the Faculty for the Sciences, and, Vice Provost. She is a Past President of the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) and is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and ASPB. She was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2016. She is a recipient of the Dartmouth Graduate Mentoring Award, the Dean of Faculty Award for Outstanding Mentoring and Advising, and the Dennis R. Hoagland Award and Stephen Hales Prize from ASPB. Professor Guerinot is a molecular geneticist whose principal expertise and research interests are in the areas of metal transport and the regulation of gene expression by metals. For most of the world, plants are the major point of entry for metals into the food chain, so her work is laying the foundation for crops that offer sustainable solutions for malnutrition and for decreasing exposure to toxic metals.
About the Glassman Lecture
The Glassman Lecture is held in honor of the late Harold N. Glassman, who left a generous bequest to the MBL. This bequest resulted in the establishment of the Harold N. Glassman fund, the income from which is used to support an annual Friday Evening Lecture on an important topic in biological research.

Physics Meets Biology: How Vinaigrette Informed Our Understanding of Cellular Organization
2025-07-18 20:00 - 21:00 | The Cornelia Clapp Auditorium, MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
Geraldine Seydoux, Sheldon Professor of Medical Discovery, Investigator, HHMI, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Registration link: https://mbl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_FlpBxE-1SHmm6aLqGb221Q#/registration
Lecture Abstract: Seydoux will discuss the emerging concept of “biomolecular condensates.” It has long been appreciated that cells use membrane-bound organelles, like mitochondria and nuclei, to compartmentalize cellular functions. “Biomolecular condensates” are a newly appreciated type of cellular compartments that assemble by phase separation without the help of membranes. Seydoux will discuss how scientists working at the Marine Biological Laboratory first stumbled onto this concept, and how principles borrowed from physics and food science have guided investigations of these enigmatic cellular structures.

Mechanisms of Adaptive Behavior: From Moments to Millennia
2025-07-25 20:00 - 21:00 | The Cornelia Clapp Auditorium, MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
Forbes Lecture
Vanessa Ruta, Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden Professor; Investigator, HHMI, The Rockefeller University
Registration link: https://mbl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Nyr6g3hJSeCJ_siL_jMaJw#/registration
Lecture Abstract: Animals display fantastic diversity in their behaviors within and across different species. Ruta’s lab has been using the concise neural circuitry of Drosophila to elucidate how nervous systems are adapted over different timescales, through individual experience or evolutionary selection, to give rise to flexible variations in behavior. By applying an interdisciplinary perspective, from the structure of sensory receptors to the algorithms of complex behaviors, they have begun to shed light on how behaviors can be modified at the level of molecular, synaptic, and circuit motifs.
About the Forbes Lecture
Since 1959, The Grass Foundation has supported the Forbes Lecture, a private foundation supporting research and education in neuroscience. The lectures are given in honor of the pioneering neurobiologist Alexander Forbes. Traditionally, the Forbes lecturer also works alongside the Grass Fellowship Program for several weeks at the MBL.

Woods Hole Film Festival
2025-07-26 - 2025-08-02 | Woods Hole

No Ordinary Vampire Fish: Insights from Sea Lampreys on Neuroscience and Human Health
2025-08-01 20:00 - 21:00 | The Cornelia Clapp Auditorium, MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
Jennifer Morgan, MBL Senior Scientist and Director of the Bell Center
Registration link: https://mbl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zNh_-vNkRdeyjouNywvWgw#/registration
Jennifer Morgan’s laboratory investigates the mechanisms of neuronal communication, particularly how spinal cord injury and neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s disrupt neurotransmission at the synapses. Using sea lampreys as a model organism, her team explores regenerative processes such as axon and synapse regrowth to restore function after injury. Her lab explores how condensate biology can explain the sufficient clustering of synaptic vesicles within the synapse, which is necessary for neurotransmission to occur, and the contributions of condensates to disease pathogenesis.

Woods Hole Contra Dance
2025-08-02 19:30 - 22:00, 2025-09-06 19:30 - 22:00 | Woods Hole Community Hall, 68 Water St., Falmouth, MA, 02543, United States

The Promise of Gene-Drives and Other Active Genetic Systems
2025-08-08 20:00 - 21:00 | The Cornelia Clapp Auditorium, MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
Porter Lecture
Ethan Bier, Professor of Biology, University of California San Diego
Lecture Abstract: This lecture will explore the application of CRISPR-based tools to gene drives and the development of other active genetic elements. Topics will include using CRISPR and gene drive principles in somatic cell genetics and genome engineering, as well as real-world applications of active genetics—such as combating insect-borne diseases like malaria, reversing insecticide resistance, and removing antibiotic resistance from bacteria in both environmental and clinical contexts. The lecture will also address the ethical considerations surrounding CRISPR and other transformative biological technologies.
Ethan Bier is a distinguished professor in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology at UC San Diego, using genetic strategies to study evolution and development. Most recently, his lab developed active genetic systems that bypass the standard rules of Mendelian genetics. He graduated from UCSD in 1978 with degrees in Biology and Mathematics, received his Ph.D. from Harvard Medical School (1978-1985), and did his postdoctoral studies at UCSF with Drs. Lily and Yuh Nung Jan (1985-90), and then assumed a faculty position at UCSD in 1990.
About the Porter Lecture
The annual Porter Lecture is held in honor of Dr. Keith Roberts Porter, a former Director of the MBL considered by many to be the “Father” of cell biology. It is sponsored by the Keith R. Porter Endowment, whose goal is to support communication and education in cell biology.

Woods Hole Science Stroll
2025-08-09 10:00 - 15:00 | Woods Hole
Join us for a celebration of the world-class ocean science happening in Woods Hole! This family-friendly annual event features hands-on activities and opportunities to learn about Woods Hole’s six major science institutions, the U.S. Coast Guard, and local environment and education-focused non-profits.

From Curiosity to Discovery: My Quest for Excellence in RNA Science
2025-08-15 20:00 - 21:00 | The Cornelia Clapp Auditorium, MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
Blanton Tolbert, Jacob Gershon-Cohen Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania
Registraton link: https://mbl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_l7Z3mcTfQLOnQCC9xTC3KA#/registration
Blanton S. Tolbert is Vice President of Science Leadership and Culture, Howard Hughes Medical Institute; and Jacob Gershon-Cohen Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania. Tolbert leads HHMI’s Center for the Advancement of Science Leadership and Culture where he directs a portfolio of current and new programs at the undergraduate and graduate level, an initiative to better equip HHMI scientists to provide culturally aware mentorship, a curriculum to grow scientists’ skills to maintain inclusive environments, and activities to develop strategic equity-centered initiatives and partnerships. Tolbert is also a Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of Pennsylvania. The research in the Tolbert group focuses on the biochemical mechanisms by which RNA viruses replicate within the cellular environment. His group leverages their fundamental understanding of the molecular biology of these viruses to identify novel targets for therapeutic intervention. The team has collaborated with colleagues to develop compounds with the potential to delay or halt the replication of SARS-CoV-2 and EV-A71. Tolbert earned a BS in chemistry at University of South Carolina and a PhD in biophysics and structural biology at University of Rochester. He was an HHMI postdoctoral fellow at University of Maryland, Baltimore County, with HHMI Investigator Michael Summers. In 2016, Tolbert received the inaugural Morton L. Mandel Award for Excellence in Research and Service from the CWRU chemistry department. In 2023, he was recognized by the International Society for Antiviral Research with the Diversity in Science and Excellence Award.

Guided Meditation
2025-09-15 10:00 - 10:25 | Woods Hole Wellbeing, 28A Water Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
Every Monday and Wednesday, ongoing, Woods Hole Wellbeing will provide guided meditation from 10:00-10:25am, with the option to stay until 11 for those who would like to. No experience necessary, all are welcome. Pop over for just the first 25 minutes for an easy refresh to ground yourself and open possibilities during the workday, or stay longer if you can. Space is limited, so please reserve a spot at: https://www.woodsholewellbeing.com/classes.

Bon Voyage Bubba
2025-09-20 11:00 - 15:30 | Northeast Fisheries Sciences Center (NEFSC), 166 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
To celebrate Bubba’s big move to his new permanent home at the Fort-Wayne Zoo in Indiana, we’re throwing him a party!
Join us on Saturday, September 20, from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the seal pool to wish him well on his journey to his new home. There will be a farewell card to sign, crafts, Q&A with staff, and an ice cake for Bubba.

More info

Drop-in Guided Meditation
2025-09-24 10:00 - 10:25 | Woods Hole Wellbeing, 28A Water Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
Every Monday and Wednesday, ongoing, Woods Hole Wellbeing is providing guided meditation from 10:00-10:25am, with the option to stay until 11am. No experience necessary, all are welcome. Stop in for an easy 25-min break to nurture yourself and open possibilities, or stay longer if you’d like. Each meditation is shaped for the people who show up, and each has been completely different so far. Free. Space is limited, so please reserve a spot at: https://www.woodsholewellbeing.com/classes.

MBL Falmouth Forum Season Opener: “The Amazing Life of Butterflies” - Nipam Patel, Director, Marine Biological Laboratory
2025-09-26 19:30 - 20:30 | The Cornelia Clapp Auditorium, MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
For more than 30 years, the Falmouth Forum, presented by the Friends of the MBL, has brought free cultural enrichment to our community. This season will feature captivating speakers that will deliver powerful talks with a wide range of subjects.
Lectures are free and open to the public for in-person and virtual attendance. Free parking is available in any MBL lot. No registration required for in-person attendance.
Doors open at 7:00 PM, lectures start at 7:30 PM, unless noted otherwise below.
Abstract: Beauty may be “in the eye of the beholder,” but butterflies undeniably hold a wide aesthetic appeal. Dr. Patel will explore how the colors and patterns of butterflies help them survive, providing the ability to find mates, hide when necessary, and deter predators. For many butterflies and moths, there are aspects of their lives that are equally fascinating, but not very visible to us. For example, some butterflies are entirely dependent on ants to complete their life cycle. In addition to discussing these topics, there will also be an opportunity to view butterfly and moth specimens before and after the talk.
Nipam H. Patel is director of the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) and a professor at the University of Chicago. He joined the MBL in 2018 from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was a professor and co-chair of the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and a professor in the Department of Integrative Biology. Patel is the 20th scientist to serve as MBL director since its founding in 1888. Patel is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and has been awarded numerous honors, including the Schubert Endowed Chair and the William V. Power Endowed Chair at UC Berkeley, the McKnight Scholars Neuroscience Fellowship Award, and the A.O. Kowalevsky Medal and election to the Society for Developmental Biology Academy. Other past appointments include faculty curator at the Essig Museum of Entomology, UC Berkeley, and adjunct professor at the National Institute of Genetics in Shizuoka, Japan. The author of more than 130 scientific publications, Patel was an editor of the journal Development (2009-2018) and serves on the editorial board of several other journals in the biological sciences. He has served on numerous advisory boards, including the board of directors of the Society for Developmental Biology. Patel grew up in El Paso, Texas, and received an A.B. in Biology from Princeton University and a Ph.D. in Biology from Stanford University.

Dinner & A Movie: Out of Plain Sight
2025-09-27 19:00 - 21:00 | Redfield Auditorium, Water Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
On Saturday, September 27, the Woods Hole Film Festival 2025-2026 Dinner & A Movie screening series continues with the feature documentary OUT OF PLAIN SIGHT.
ABOUT THE FILM:
Not far from Catalina Island, aboard one of the most-advanced research ships in the world, David Valentine discovered a corroded barrel on the seafloor that gave him chills. The full environmental horror sharpens into greater clarity once he calls Los Angeles Times journalist Rosanna Xia, who pieces together a shocking revelation: In the years after World War II, as many as half a million barrels of toxic waste had been quietly dumped into the ocean – and the consequences continue to haunt the world today.
Director Rosanna Xia and subjects from the film will be in attendance for a Q&A following the film.
Dinner & A Movie is a program of the Winter/Spring Film Series, twice-monthly in-person screenings of the best in independent film from October through June 2025. The screenings will be held in the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s Redfield Auditorium, located at 45 Water Street, Woods Hole. The program includes films from the past Woods Hole Film Festival as well as other selections curated specifically for this series.
Before the screening ticket holders may receive a discount on the meal portion of dinner at the Captain Kidd Restaurant at 77 Water Street and the Quahog Republic Leeside Pub at 29 Railroad Ave, Woods Hole. Contact the restaurants for details and reservations.
The screenings begin at 7 pm. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Tickets are $18 and $12 for WHFF members, student/military $10. Purchasing tickets online in advance is strongly encouraged, as many of the screenings sell out in advance.
Tickets are on sale at www.woodsholefilmfestival.org, and at the door if they are not sold out in advance.
The series is supported in part by Liam Maguire’s Irish Pub, Autocamp, Seasalt Cornwall, the Martha’s Vineyard Bank Charitable Foundation and Cape Cod 5.
