To create awareness of the role of the Bigelow Laboratory in the scientific community and a better understanding and appreciation of what basic research has to offer society. Students are chosen based on their strong interest in science and their demonstrated aptitude for serious study. Room and board are provided by the Laboratory under chaperoned conditions. Students arrive on Monday morning and leave on Friday afternoon.
Students spend the week immersed in marine research, both in the field and in the lab.
Laboratories include use of flow cytometry, remote sensing data, light and electron microscopy, fluorometry and nutrient chemistry. Discussions on science policy and ethics and career directions are also integral parts of the week. The High School program is also supported by a variety of private foundations and individual contributions. These include posters and maps of the Gulf of Maine system, a computer disk of satellite imagery and image analysis software instructions, live phytoplankton cultures, handouts, reprints, and background information that will enable them to make presentations to their science classes and other peers.