July 4th Parade in Woods Hole
2025-07-04 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | 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, 2025-10-04 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, 2025-09-29 10:00 - 10:25, 2025-10-01 10:00 - 10:25, 2025-10-06 10:00 - 10:25, 2025-10-08 10:00 - 10:25, 2025-10-13 10:00 - 10:25, 2025-10-15 10:00 - 10:25, 2025-10-20 10:00 - 10:25 and 2 more dates | 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.

Dinner & A Movie: Unfinished Business
2025-10-04 19:00 - 21:00 | Redfield Auditorium, Water Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
On Saturday, October 4, the Woods Hole Film Festival 2025-2026 Dinner & A Movie screening series continues with the narrative feature UNFINISHED BUSINESS by Michael Connolly.
ABOUT THE FILM:
A gripping, character-driven political drama about a veteran reporter’s quest to expose the truth behind a legendary politician’s reign on Beacon Hill. Set against the scenic backdrops of 1980s Boston and modern-day Martha’s Vineyard, it is a tale of political power, personal redemption, and the price of blind ambition. It is a David and Goliath story – a hero’s story – for our time.
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.

Celebration of Ocean Science & Campaign Launch
2025-10-17 | Woods Hole
We are throwing open our doors, and you are invited!
Join Campaign Chair Sarah Johnson, Board Chair Paul Salem, and members of the WHOI Board of Trustees and Corporation for a festive day exploring the future of ocean science and technology for the global good.
Explore WHOI like never before:
Meet scientists and engineers, tour labs and technology, see the world-renowned submersible Alvin, and get a close-up view of the research vessel Neil Armstrong at WHOI’s Celebration of Ocean Science and Campaign Launch!
The day will culminate in a community-wide reception with special guests, the WHOI community, and friends who make our mission possible.
Together, we’ll launch the next chapter of WHOI – and celebrate the people who make it possible.
Dress code: bring your walking shoes and dress for the weather

Dinner & A Movie: Anxiety Club
2025-10-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Redfield Auditorium, Water Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
On Saturday, October 18, the Woods Hole Film Festival 2025-2026 Dinner & A Movie screening series continues with the feature documentary ANXIETY CLUB by Wendy Lobel.
ABOUT THE FILM:
A humorous and heartfelt exploration of anxiety through the lens of some of today’s most brilliant comedians: Tiffany Jenkins, Joe List, Marc Maron, Aparna Nancherla, Mark Normand, Baron Vaughn, and Eva Victor. With a mix of stand-up performances, sketch videos, exclusive interviews, and relatable everyday life scenarios, they candidly share their personal struggles with the condition that affects more than 300 million people.
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.
