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The Island View
Monthly Newsletter
June 2021
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Dear Shoals Community,
We are now in the third week of our academic programs. Our first block of classes has come and gone from Appledore and we recently welcomed our second round of students. After a challenging 2020 summer with an island population that never crested 10 people, it is wonderful to see students in the classrooms, up in Palmer-Kinne Lab, and out on our vessels again. And for our students, classes at the lab are providing learning opportunities that have been absent from their college experience for the past several semesters. I overheard one of our students reflecting on the fact that his course at SML felt like his "first real college experience" after a freshman year of online learning. It is that sort of sentiment that helps motivate our staff to keep doing what we do.
This year’s staff is a fun mix of seasoned Shoalers coupled with some new faces that are working very hard to support the academic programs. The work this summer has the added layer of Covid-related health and safety rules that has its own unique challenges. But we are working through it all and the students and faculty have been incredibly understanding as we strive to make their time at the lab engaging, experiential, and safe.
With the warmer weather rolling in, I wish you all a summer that is filled with opportunities to reconnect with friends, family, and experiences that weren’t quite accessible this past year. Here at SML, we are thrilled to be back doing the things that have made the lab such a memorable place for so many people over the years.
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David Buck, Ph.D.
Associate Driector
Shoals Marine Laboratory
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P.S. I hope you'll join us for a virtual Rock Talk this summer! You can find the lineup of speakers and registration links here.
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FREE Celia Thaxter Garden Tours in Prescott Park |
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We will be hosting three tours this summer:
Tour 1: Friday, July 16th at 4:00 PM ET
Tour 2: Friday, July 30th at 4:00 PM ET
Tour 3: Friday, August 6th at 4:00 PM ET
Tours will last approximately 45 minutes and registration is FREE! However, each tour is limited to 20 spaces, and guests are limited to one tour, so register now to reserve your spot!
We want to give a special shoutout to Rolling Green Nursery, the City of Portsmouth, and the dedicated team of garden volunteers who have helped make this project possible for the second year in a row. Interested in visiting the garden on your own time? No problem! Click this link for directions to Prescott Park.
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Our 2021 Overnight Public Programs are Filling Up! |
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Shoals History & Archaeology participants digging up artifacts on Smuttynose Island, ME |
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Registration for our Public Programs is still open, but spots are filling up quickly! Check out these programs that still have a limited number of spots available:
Program descriptions, rates, dates, and other important information can be found on the pages linked above. If you have any questions about these exciting opportunities, please feel free to email us at shoals.lab@unh.edu!
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Artist painting on the rocks |
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From Student to TA: Reflections with Avni Bhalla |
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Meet Avni Bhalla, a Cornell University senior and Shoals rockstar from Puducherry, India. Avni first joined our community in 2019 when she took multiple courses at SML, including one of her favorites, Field Ornithology. Like many of our students, Avni was a treat to have around. Whether you were behind her in the food line at lunch or crossing paths with her on a trail, she never failed to ask about your day or offer a hand. She was both a bright student and a caring community member. |
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Lucky for SML, Avni returned this summer as a Teaching Assistant for Field Ornithology, and she describes her time back as a full-circle and restorative experience:
"It was so surreal to be on Appledore again. Shoals has felt like my home here in the US. Returning after two years and seeing the gulls, walking down familiar trails, and experiencing the same island but in a new position was incredibly rewarding.
My time taking multiple courses at SML really benefited both myself and the students. I could relate to much of what they were experiencing and share my knowledge of not just birds but also topics as complex as the intertidal or as simple as which paths don't have bushes of poison ivy and dive-bombing gulls.
I’ve realized how critical it is for students to witness the difference between reading peer-reviewed publications and what actually happens on the ground – the other side of science that is challenging and imperfect, yet fun and rewarding. And even more importantly, how faculty equip the students with tools that foster the transition between a PowerPoint and the field.
Between my conversations with students and the time I spent poking the faculty members' brains, this transition has been helpful as I hope to teach after I graduate, either at the high school or university level."
Avni's time was a reminder that no matter what your role is here at Shoals, we are all learning something about ourselves and how we fit into the bigger picture of science.
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Become a Shoals Sustainer! |
The Shoals Sustainer Program allows you to support SML all year long with secure, easy monthly gifts – of any amount that you choose. Your monthly donation supports the SML Annual Fund, which puts funds where they are needed most, whether that is bolstering student scholarships, implementing technology to improve educational experiences, or meeting the urgent needs of the island campus.
Initiate your monthly gift through UNH or Cornell online! For either donation portal, select the “Recurring” option and follow the prompts to set up your contributions. Thank you for supporting Shoals all year long!
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2021 Sustainable Fisheries student mackerel fishing |
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Be sure to follow us on social media |
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Shoals Marine Laboratory is a joint partnership between
Cornell University and the University of New Hampshire.
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