December 2020
News from the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology
What a decade and what a year!
This December, we celebrate a decade of research and collaboration at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology and mark the conclusion of a year that has brought many challenges. Over the past ten years, we have made advances in marine and environmental science, educated graduate students and the public, and grown our entrepreneurship programs.

While 2020 looked a little different, we maintained our focus on these goals: faculty and students analyzed data and published papers from home, then restarted experiments with many safety precautions in place; our essential workers, to whom we owe so much, cared for animals and our facility throughout; and our staff worked remotely to keep us moving forward. I am grateful for the hard work, flexibility, and compassion of all those in our IMET community. To read my full letter, please click here.

I hope that this note finds you and your family safe and healthy. Happy Holidays!



Russell T. Hill, Ph.D.
IMET is one of Baltimore's Top Workplaces!
For the second year in a row, IMET was named one of Baltimore's Top Workplaces by the Baltimore Sun! This was based on employee feedback gathered by an anonymous survey. We are grateful to all of the wonderful IMET employees!
Jan Vicente dives on reef with sponges
IMET alum catalogues Hawaiian sponge species
IMET alum Dr. Jan Vicente described his NSF-funded postdoc: “I get to document and witness dozens of new sponge species records and ask questions about their ecological functions.” Learn why this is so important for ecological health.
Chelsea Bergman scuba diving
Starting a Master's remotely
Chelsea Bergman, whose first year of studies is supported by the James Albrecht Fellowship is laying the groundwork for her research and establishing relationships with her lab all while studying remotely.
Starting a business? Learn to ask good questions.
The November session of the Ratcliffe Environmental Entrepreneur Fellowship focused on asking the right questions to understand your market, customers, and your own business approach. This year, REEF is being taught online with postdocs participating for the first time.
Avengers Assemble! Combating Harmful Algal Blooms
In this Avengers-themed presentation by Dr. Allen Place and Ph.D. student Taylor Armstrong, you'll learn all about why algal blooms occur and what tools we have to fight the villainous blooms. One of our tools: spent grain from brewing beer!
Microbes could hold clues to extraterrestrial life
Dr. Shiladitya Dassarma, Ph.D. candidate Victoria Laye, and Priya Dassarma presented a lecture on extremophiles - microbes that live in the strangest places, like Antarctic salt lakes. These organisms could hold be key to understanding life on other planets.
All about IMET!
Want to learn more about IMET's work? You can watch a presentation from IMET's Executive Director, Dr. Russell Hill. He covers IMET's main program areas: Sustainable Aquaculture; Environment, Animal, and Human Health; and Energy, Climate Change, and Global Health.
Support diversity, equity and inclusion with an end-of-year gift!
There's still time to make a tax-deductible gift for 2020. A gift to IMET's DEI fund this doubles your impact. You'll support a more diverse science workforce and help interns, students, and postdocs conduct cutting-edge research. 
What is the Shape of Water?
In 2019, UMBC Art Professor Lisa Moren was the first artist-in-residence at IMET as part of a partnership with the UMBC Center for Innovation, Research, and Creativity in the Arts. The pair have now produced a video featuring bioluminescent dinoflagellates.
Dive Deeper: Other News From IMET
Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology
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