About

The Keller BLOOM Program at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences is a free, week-long residential research experience for Maine high school juniors, held at Bigelow's campus on the coast of East Boothbay. Founded by Bigelow scientist Maureen Keller and Trustee Emeritus James McLoughlin, BLOOM places sixteen students per year directly inside a working independent ocean research institution — one of the leading marine science laboratories in the country — for five days of genuine field and laboratory science.

The program runs May 17–22, 2026. On the first full day, students board a research vessel on the Sheepscot River estuary to learn oceanographic sampling methods and collect real data from the local marine environment. The following three days are spent in the lab working alongside Bigelow scientists on four research areas: phytoplankton, zooplankton, pigments and nutrients, and bacteria and marine viruses — using the same state-of-the-art instrumentation and techniques that Bigelow's researchers use in their own published work. The final day is devoted to student presentations of their research and experience, delivered to family members. Throughout the week, students participate in discussions with scientists on scientific ethics, public policy, and careers in ocean science, and attend a Marine Science Career Night covering undergraduate programs in Maine and beyond.

The program is entirely free — no tuition, and all room, board, and meals are provided in supervised housing on Bigelow's campus. No prior research experience is required. Eligibility is restricted to current Maine high school juniors, including homeschooled students, with representation from Maine's various counties an explicit priority in the selection process. Applications are evaluated on two written essays and two letters of recommendation. Sixteen students are selected from across the state.

For a Maine junior who is genuinely curious about ocean or environmental science, BLOOM is one of the most authentic and accessible research experiences available anywhere in the state — free, residential, and set inside a real marine science institution on the Maine coast.