By Maia Zewert
Darling Marine Center K-12 Education Coordinator Lili Pugh (right) demonstrates how to hold a starfish to Ella Wheeler, Lily Ances, and Beau Ances (left to right) during the Darling Marine Center’s open house Aug. 8. (Maia Zewert photo) |
The Ira C. Darling Marine Center in Walpole celebrated its 50th anniversary Saturday, Aug. 8 under sunny skies.
Saturday’s open house was the accumulation of a month’s worth of events commemorating the milestone. In 1965, the land for the Darling Marine Center was gifted to the University of Maine by Ira C. Darling, the late Chicago businessman for whom the center is named. Throughout the years, the campus has transformed from the farmland Darling donated to a respected marine research and education center.
“The Darling Marine Center is a really strong node for marine science in research and teaching on the coast of Maine and of the Northeast region,” said Heather Leslie, director of the Darling Marine Center. “We are known as the birthplace of oyster aquaculture and the leading work on developing the oyster farming industry was done here in the 1980s.”
The open house on Saturday celebrated the Darling Marine Center’s legacy by offering “a little something for everyone,” said Mary Jane Perry, a professor of oceanography at the Darling Marine Center. A touch tank, face painting, and block printing were available for kids. Buildings such as the electron microscopy lab and shellfish hatchery were open for the general public to tour and learn more about the research at the Darling Marine Center.
“A lot of the visitors who live around here were amazed at what all goes on,” Perry said.
In addition to the celebration on Saturday, free walking tours of the campus were offered once a week in July and August, and members of the faculty and staff hosted a seminar series called Science on Tap Wednesday evenings at the Newcastle Publick House.
Dr. Larry Mayer, professor of oceanography at the Darling Marine Center, took visitors on a tour of Lowes Cove, an area students and faculty use for research. (Maia Zewert photo) |
Perry said the seminar series was well-received by the community, and she hopes to see it continue with monthly meetings.
Friday was UMaine Celebration Day. Alumni shared stories from their time with the Darling Marine Center during the morning. The afternoon ceremony was filled with speeches from various members of the UMaine and Darling Marine Center faculty.
“It was amazing to listen to alumni from every generation, those who graduated 30, 40, and 50 years ago to those who only graduated a few years ago, and see how their lives and careers have evolved since graduating,” Perry said.
Perry, who served as interim director of the center from 2013 until Aug. 1 and helped plan the festivities, said the event demonstrated the community between the staff, faculty, and students.
“Everyone really came together and had the most creative ideas,” Perry said. “We really are a community, and I think this event demonstrated that.”