Celebrating the Launch of the MBL Alumni Association

MBL Alumni, including students, faculty, visiting scientists, courses directors, and staff, networking during the inauguration of the MBL Alumni Association

MBL alumni, including students, faculty, visiting scientists, course directors, and staff, networking during the inauguration of the MBL Alumni Association. Credit: Dee Sullivan

By MBL Communications July 03, 2025

Science, summer, and sweet treats came together as the Marine Biological Laboratory officially launched the MBL Alumni Association with an ice cream social on June 26. Students, course directors, staff, and visiting and resident scientists gathered to mark the beginning of this exciting new chapter in the MBL story that celebrates the thousands of individuals who have made MBL part of their scientific journey.

Though he could not attend in person, we are proud to share that Nobel Laureate Eric Wieschaus has agreed to serve as the inaugural Honorary Chair of the MBL Alumni Association. As one of MBL’s distinguished alumni, his legacy and commitment to discovery reflect the spirit we aim to foster in this growing community of past and present scholars.

Bags of M&Ms and MBL Alumni stickers. — A bag of custom printed M&Ms and MBL Alumni stickers. Credit Dee Sullivan

The event also featured heartfelt reflections from three members of the MBL community, each with a different story but sharing the same theme—their love for the MBL and Woods Hole.

“My first time at the MBL, I came here with a friend. I wasn’t here to study, just to drive with him,” said Daniel Cortes of Virginia Tech. “I loved it so much I applied to take a class, and then another, and another. I’ve been a student, a lecturer, a Grass Fellow, and now, I’m a Whitman Fellow. Next on my list is to buy a house in Falmouth and be at the MBL for the full summer.”

“I first came to the MBL as a graduate student in 2008,” said Zak Swartz, assistant scientist in the MBL’s Bell Center. “At the time, I was feeling unsure with my path in science. But my experience at MBL was transformative. I ‘found my people’, my passion for science was reignited, and the experience changed the course of my career.”

Jean King, Peterson Family Dean of Arts & Sciences and Professor of Biology & Biotechnology and MBL Trustee and Alumni, welcomes students, faculty, visiting scientists, courses directors, and staff to the MBL Alumni Association. — Jean King, professor and dean at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and MBL Trustee and alumna, welcomes students, faculty, visiting scientists, course directors, and staff to the MBL Alumni Association. Credit: Dee Sullivan

“My kids call this my happy place,” said Jean King, Peterson Family Dean of Arts & Sciences and Professor of Biology & Biotechnology at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and MBL Trustee and course lecturer. “MBL is a place of discovery; it is like Disneyland for scientists, and once you come here, you want to return. We are responsible for giving back to the MBL and future scientists who will come to this campus.”

Their stories embody what we so often hear from our alumni: MBL is not just a place, it’s a home, a spark, and a lifelong source of inspiration.

We invite all former students, researchers, faculty, and staff to become involved with the MBL Alumni Association and reconnect with the institution and one another.

Stay tuned! In the months ahead, we’ll be sharing stories from our alumni around the world—highlighting their current work, their memories of MBL, and the lasting impact this unique place has had on their lives.