For the third year, the Island Institute hosted its annual Summer Lecture Series, a free lecture series that took place every Wednesday in July and focused on the Maine coast. Authors, scientists, community members, and other experts will discuss life along Maine's waterfront and offer their perspectives, reflections, and insights on everything from art and aquaculture to modern-day challenges and connections.

The 2019 Summer Lecture Series featured:


Speakers and Presentations​

A Photographic History of Maine's Islands and Working Waterfronts: Exploring the Penobscot Marine Museum Photography Archives

Kevin Johnson, photo archivist, Penobscot Marine Museum

Photo archivist Kevin Johnson gave a photographic tour of the archives from the Penobscot Marine Museum.  The Penobscot Marine Museum has the largest photography archives in the state, made up of dozens of collections and more than 300,000 photographic images spanning from the 1880s to the recent past. The slide show and talk looked at the museum's various collections with a special focus on Maine's Midcoast, islands, and working waterfronts. The archive is being digitized, and more than 100,0000 thousand images can now be viewed on the museum's website in their online database.  

Click here to listen to the audio recording
View Kevin Johnson's Presentation
Our Future Coast: Climate Change, the Global Economy, and the Role of Community

Robert Snyder, PhD., president, Island Institute

Communities are largely absent from national discussions of how to address climate change. Every day our towns and cities take practical steps to solve global problems through community member choices and behaviors. Island Institute President Robert Snyder discussed the skills communities must have and how the Island Institute is currently working with communities to build the muscle needed to deal with climate change. 

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View Rob Snyder's Presentation
Advantages and Adversity: Teaching and Learning in a One-Room Island School

Mandy Metrano, teacher, Monhegan Island
Yvonne Thomas, education specialist, Island Institute

Mandy and Yvonne spoke about Maine's island schools and looked at both the advantages and challenges of teaching in these remote environments.

Mandy Metrano has been Monhegan Island's school teacher since 2015 and has lived both year-round and seasonally on Monhegan since 1996. She is a Portland native who graduated from the University of Southern Maine and completed her Arts Education program from USM. Mandy did her student teaching in the Portland Public Schools and worked as an Ed Tech for nine years prior to her teaching position at the Monhegan School. 

Yvonne Thomas works closely with island and coastal schools and education organizations as the Education Specialist at the Island Institute. She works collaboratively to develop projects, support teacher professional development, and strengthen networks to address the unique educational challenges and opportunities schools face. Prior to joining the Island Institute, she was the school counselor at the Vinalhaven School for 13 years and also served as the school counselor for Matinicus and North Haven for several years. 

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View Mandy Metrano's and Yvonne Thomas's Presentation
Tiny Plastics, Big Problem: An Investigation of Microplastics in the Aquatic Environment

Abby Barrows, marine research scientist

Microplastic pollution is considered an emerging issue of international concern. Marine research scientist Abby Barrows discussed the complex problem of plastic pollution—from behavior changes and diminished offspring performance in animals to the negative human and environmental health effects—and some of the solutions required to address it.

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View Abby Barrows's Presentation
An Energetic History of Maritime Maine: Tracing the Relationship of Water, Fossil Fuels, and Wind Energy to Maine's Maritime History

Lincoln Paine, maritime historian, author, editor, and curator

Maritime historian, author, and editor Lincoln Paine took a look at the role energy has played in Maine's maritime history, and the relationship of water, fossil fuels, and wind energy as a part of that story.

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View Lincoln Paine's Presentation