Marine Science Research & Mentoring Summer Program
The Marine Science & Mentoring Summer Program is a five-week, immersive experience centered on hands-on marine research, scientific skill-building, and mentored inquiry in Nantucket’s coastal ecosystems. While the program maintains a strong foundation in the population ecology, reproductive biology, and habitat requirements of the Nantucket Bay scallop (Argopecten irradians), its scope has been expanded to ensure that every student—regardless of whether they attend for one week or the full program—engages in meaningful, authentic scientific research.
A primary research theme this summer will examine the impacts of climate change on nearshore marine systems, with particular emphasis on the timing of bay scallop reproduction and larval development. Students will explore how temperature and other environmental conditions shape nearshore ecosystems, using hands-on sampling and small, testable investigations. We will also discuss how longer-term datasets are used by scientists to evaluate questions about climate trends and seasonal timing. In parallel, students will examine habitat factors that affect scallops and other coastal species, including eelgrass condition, water quality patterns, and harmful algal blooms
Throughout the program, students build core field and laboratory skills each week, including water sampling and water-quality testing (e.g., temperature, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen), species and habitat observation and identification, microscopy, basic dissection, and systematic data collection. Students also develop scientific communication skills through maintaining field and lab journals, graphing and analyzing data, writing observations, and delivering short oral “field updates” or summaries of findings.
A key component of the program is mentored research. Students develop a testable question within a set of clearly defined project options, so questions are feasible in during the program and results are comparable across groups With guidance from staff and partners, students collect data, analyze results, and reflect on their findings. Students attending multiple weeks build depth through repeated sampling, more advanced techniques, and increasingly independent inquiry, while those attending a single week still complete a coherent, hands-on research experience.
Whether you’re interested in bay scallops, coastal ecosystems, water quality, habitat restoration, marine technology, or conservation — our program offers a pathway to learn, contribute, and grow.
2026 Session Dates:
•Session I: June 22 – July 3 Foundations of Harbor Ecology & Bay Scallops
•Session II: July 6 – 17 Water Quality & Marine Chemistry
•Session III: July 20 – July 31 Coastal Ecology, Biodiversity & Habitat Studies
•Session IV: Aug 3 – Aug 14 Marine Technology & Applied Environmental Monitoring
•Session V: Aug 17 – Aug 28 Independent Research, Synthesis, and Science Communication
*Please note that session participants will be dedicated to a fieldtrip on the first Friday of the program and host a presentation of their work on the last Friday of the program.
Cost per participant: $950 per session, discounts available if registering for entire series or multiple session
Contact email: programs@mariamitchell.org
*Nantucket residents qualify for scholarships