Sixteen Maine high school juniors will spend next week (May 17-21) at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences learning about ocean science research. They will work side-by-side with Bigelow Laboratory scientists, go on a research cruise, conduct experiments, and learn how to analyze results as part of the 26th annual Keller BLOOM (Bigelow Laboratory Orders of Magnitude) Program.
Amanda Johnson of Wiscasset High School and Bradford Tibbetts of Boothbay Region High School will be participating.
The four-day summer workshop provides students with a hands-on experience to learn about the biological, chemical, and geological characteristics of the local marine environment and get an idea of what a career as a scientist might be like. Bigelow Laboratory researchers Drs. Nicole Poulton and David Fields lead the program. Students apply for the program and are selected from each county in Maine.
This year, 16 were selected from an applicant pool of 34. All costs for participation are covered by private donations to the Keller BLOOM Program, named in honor of the late Maureen Keller, a Bigelow Laboratory scientist, to make it open and accessible to all.
“This is our 26th year of providing an opportunity for students all across Maine to learn about the ocean that is so vital to our lives here in Maine and beyond,” Poulton said. “Each year, the number of applicants increases, and we are delighted to be able to share our research work and passion for the ocean with a group of amazing students who truly enjoy science.
“The students take home an appreciation for how much is known and yet to be discovered in the ocean. We, as scientists, end the program with a renewed energy provided by the students’ endless curiosity and excitement about our research here and learning more about the ocean. It’s a winning combination for everyone involved.”
The 16 Maine students who will be participating in the 2015 Keller BLOOM Program are:

• Fabian Corriveau, Telstar Middle/High School, Bethel
• Amelia Franklin, Morse High School, Bath
• Lydia Harris, Lincoln Academy, Newcastle
• Alexis Ireland, Orono High School, Orono
• Amanda Johnson, Wiscasset High School, Wiscasset
• Mackenzie Lewia, Kennebunk High School, Kennebunk
• Roshan Luick, Mount Blue High School, Farmington
• Signe Lynch, Hall-Dale High School, Farmingdale
• Elizaveta Maslak, Maine School of Science and Mathematics, Limestone
• Emma McGurren, Camden Hills Regional High School, Rockport
• Reid Rauch, Erskine Academy, South China
• Katelyn Smith, Poland Regional High School, Poland
• Abraham Steinberger, Lincoln Academy, Newcastle
• Courtland Talmage, Mount Abram Regional High School, Salem Township
• Bradford Tibbetts, Boothbay Region High School, Boothbay Harbor
• Elizabeth Zhang, Cheverus High School, Portland