Café Sci

Bigelow Laboratory's Café Sci is a fun, free way for you to dive into global ocean issues and opportunities with leading scientists, made possible through sponsorship by HM Payson.

Our 2025 Café Sci series will take place on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. from July 16 - August 6 in Bigelow Laboratory's new forum space, opening this summer. Registration information coming soon!

In the meantime, you can watch (or re-watch) lectures from previous years on our YouTube page. Watch them now!

Whales in the Forecast:

Using 21st Century Tools to Understand an Endangered Species

Dr. Nick Record, Dr. Rebekah Shunmugapandi, and Dr. Jonathan Syme

A North Atlantic right whale can grow to over 50 feet. But, with a small population and large range, it’s still a challenge to track these behemoths across the Atlantic. Scientists at Bigelow Laboratory’s Tandy Center for Ocean Forecasting are combining remote sensing technology and AI to map the food sources and habitat of right whales and better predict their movements in a changing ocean. Join Senior Research Scientist Nick Record, director of the center, and postdoctoral scientists Rebekah Shunmugapandi and Jonathan Syme, as they discuss the tools and partnerships that are revealing the hidden world of the elusive North Atlantic right whale.

Water Health and Humans:

Leveraging Community Partnerships to Protect Maine’s Waterways

Dr. Rachel Sipler and Dr. Robin Sleith

Bigelow Laboratory’s Water Health and Humans Initiative collaborates with local groups, tribal organizations, and municipal governments, to support communities and help identify solutions to environmental challenges. For the last several years, the team has been working with partners along the Maine coast, monitoring water quality and providing specialized scientific tools to inform community-based restoration efforts. Come listen to Senior Research Scientist Rachel Sipler and Research Scientist Robin Sleith discuss several examples of how Bigelow Laboratory is supporting Maine’s communities through these collaborative partnerships to promote human health and preserve our treasured water resources.

PFAS in Casco Bay:

Tracking the Fate of Forever Chemicals on Maine’s Coast

Dr. Christoph Aeppli and Hannah Sterling

Once hailed as miracle compounds, PFAS — or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — are now known as “forever chemicals” due to their environmental persistence and potential health impacts. Despite growing knowledge of PFAS, their dynamics in complex coastal environments are still not fully understood. Bigelow Laboratory scientists, in collaboration with Friends of Casco Bay, are working to fill this gap. Using extensive sampling and cutting-edge analytical tools, they are monitoring PFAS levels throughout Casco Bay, including areas affected by an accidental spill at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station last summer. Learn more about this project and what the science reveals from Senior Research Scientist Christoph Aeppli and Research Technician Hannah Sterling.

Ocean Epidemiology:

Tracking Marine Diseases to Protect Fisheries and Ocean Health

Dr. Maya Groner, Dr. Melissa Rocker, and Dr. Reyn Yoshioka

Diseases are a natural part of any ecosystem, including the ocean. But understanding their causes and consequences is critical to mitigate potential negative impacts on fisheries and ocean health. Bigelow Laboratory’s quantitative marine disease ecology lab partners with resource managers and agency scientists to understand the effects of pathogens on everything from snow crabs in the icy Bering Sea to the Gulf of Maine’s iconic lobster. Hear from Senior Research Scientist Maya Groner, and postdoctoral scientists Melissa Rocker and Reyn Yoshioka, about research to understand marine diseases, what impact warming waters may have on their spread, and opportunities for management.