Week 1: Kicking Off the 2026 IMET Summer Internship

The 2026 IMET Summer Internship cohort has officially arrived. A new class of undergraduate researchers stepped into the Inner Harbor ready to learn, ask questions, and get their hands on real science.

The interns were welcomed with an introduction by IMET Dr. Jenn Burns, Executive director at IMET. followed with remarks that set the tone for the summer: the work ahead matters, and the world needs their ideas, their questions, and their courage to seek solutions.

After breakfast and introductions, interns jumped into onboarding: paperwork, program expectations, and receiving their security and digital badges. They also took professional headshots to mark the beginning of their scientific journey.

From there, they toured the building, met their mentors, went on our famous Aquaculture Research Lab (ARC) tour and stepped into the labs where their summer research will take shape.

A Program With Purpose

The IMET Undergraduate Summer Internship Program has a legacy of equipping undergraduates with a focus on students from underrepresented or underserved backgrounds. For over 20 years, IMET has provided undergraduates with the tools, mentorship, and research experience needed to thrive in science. Interns are matched with a Principal Investigator (PI) to work on a dedicated project in one of IMET’s three key focus areas:

• Sustainable Seafood Production
• Environment, Animal, and Human Health
• Energy, Water, and the Environment

Throughout the summer, interns will go beyond benchwork. Weekly seminars, field experiences, and science communication workshops round out their training, helping them grow not only as researchers but as well-rounded science professionals.

Interns wrapped up the week with an ARC tour, a full building walkthrough, and their first afternoons in their assigned labs. By Friday, the cohort gathered in the G-020 Boardroom for a lunch and week review, a chance to decompress, share first impressions, and get a preview of what is ahead.

Meet the 2026 Interns

Week 2: Science Speaks! Finding Poetry in Research

The novelty of Week 1 has worn off, and that is a good thing! By the second week, the 2026 IMET Summer Internship cohort had begun to settle into the real rhythm of research: showing up, asking questions, and learning by doing. Orientation was behind them. The work was ahead.

In the Lab

Monday through Wednesday, interns were in their labs learning new techniques, getting comfortable with equipment, and building the kind of trust with their mentors that only comes from showing up and trying. By Thursday, each intern had a clearer sense of the project they would carry through the summer.

The mentors have made all the difference in those early days. As intern Ysabella Marin put it:

My mentors have been nothing but nice. They take the time to explain things to me when I don’t know or am unsure about it. I really appreciate them so far with the things I have been learning these two weeks. I look forward to seeing what comes next and learning more techniques from them.”

Workshop Spotlight: The Poetry in Science

On Thursday, the interns stepped away from the bench for something unexpected. Dr. Kathleen Gillespie, a IMET PhD alumna led a writing workshop exploring the intersection of science and poetry. Dr. Gillespie has built her career in science while writing and publishing poetry throughout it, and she shared how that creative practice has helped her connect with people outside her field.

Interns tried two exercises. In the first, they worked with two lists of words: science terms like theory, discovery, beaker, and test tube, alongside poetry terms like art, emotional, dramatic, and symbolism — and wove them into any narrative they chose, with no requirements, just their own thoughts. In the second exercise, interns took the abstract of a scientific paper and created a “subtractive poem,” removing words until a poem emerged from the language already there. The science, it turns out, had poetry in it all along.

Here what some of the interns thought of the workshop:

Week 3: Telling the Story of Science

By Week 3, the IMET Summer Interns had settled into their research projects and were spending most of their days immersed in the lab, collecting data, learning new techniques, and making steady progress alongside their mentors. That made this week especially exciting, as interns had the opportunity to step away from the bench and participate in the two-day Integration and Application Network (IAN) Communication Workshop. The change of pace gave everyone a chance to collaborate with one another, think creatively, and develop a new set of skills that are just as important as conducting scientific research.

The IAN Communication Workshop was a highlight of the internship experience, introducing interns to the art of science communication. Throughout the two-day workshop, participants learned how to identify their audience, simplify complex scientific concepts without sacrificing accuracy, and use storytelling techniques to make their messages more engaging and memorable. Through interactive discussions, hands-on activities, and collaborative exercises, interns practiced transforming technical information into clear, compelling narratives while receiving feedback from instructors and peers.

On the first day, interns explored the foundations of effective science communication and learned why thoughtful messaging is essential for connecting with the public, policymakers, and fellow scientists. They participated in engaging exercises that challenged them to organize their ideas, focus on key messages, and think critically about how different audiences interpret scientific information.

The second day built on those skills by giving interns additional opportunities to practice and refine their communication techniques. As they worked through presentations and interactive activities, their confidence continued to grow, and the energy in the room reflected how much they enjoyed applying what they had learned. By the end of the workshop, interns walked away with practical tools they can use throughout their academic and professional careers, along with a deeper appreciation for the important role communication plays in advancing science.

Stay tuned for Week 4, when the IMET Summer Interns will trade the lab for the field on their first field trip of the summer—an exciting opportunity to explore science beyond the bench and experience firsthand how research connects to the environment.