Falmouth Forum | Marine Biological Laboratory

For more than 30 years, the Falmouth Forum, presented by the Friends of the MBL, has brought free cultural enrichment to our community. The 2023-2024 season will feature captivating speakers that will deliver powerful talks with a wide range of subjects.

Lectures are free and open to the public for in-person and virtual attendance. Free parking is available in any MBL lot. No registration required for in-person attendance.

Doors open at 7:00 PM, lectures start at 7:30 PM.

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9/22/23 - “Why We Should Care About the Arctic”

Melody Brown Burkins, Dartmouth College

Watch the Brown Burkins Video See Brown Burkins Event Info

10/13/23 - How WHOI Helped write "Horse", An Inside Look at a Novelist's Research Journey

Geraldine Brooks, Author
Herman T. Epstein Endowed Memorial Lectureship
A book signing will follow the presentation. Books available for purchase on event night from Eight Cousins Books.

Watch the Brooks Video See Brooks Event Info

11/10/23 - “Building Community Bridges: Creating an Economically and Ecologically Vibrant Cape Cod”

Dorothy Savarese in conversation with CAI’s Mindy Todd

Watch the Savarese video See Savarese event info

12/8/23 - “Beyond Survival: The Journey of a Holocaust Survivor”

Ruth Oppenheim, Holocaust survivor and author

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Scientists working at MBL Ecosytems Long-Term Ecological Research Station in Toolik Lake, Alaska

1/26/24 - “Why We Should Care About the Arctic, Part II: An Arctic Science Panel”

Anne Giblin, MBL; Jim McClelland, MBL; Sue Natali, Woodwell Climate; Rebecca Rowe, University of New Hampshire; Collin Ward, WHOI

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2/23/24 - “Before Brooklyn: The Unsung Heroes Who Helped Break Baseball’s Color Barrier”

Ted Reinstein, Journalist & Author
Michael Mizell Memorial Public History Lecture
A book signing will follow the presentation. Books available for purchase on event night from Eight Cousins Books.

See Reinstein Event Info Join Reinstein Event Virtually

March (Date TBA) - "To Save and Protect"

United States Coast Guard

When originally established in 1790, Congress authorized the Coast Guard to protect the nation's revenue through enforcing tariff laws and preventing smuggling. As the nation grew, so did the mission-set of the nation's oldest federal sea service. As a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, a law enforcement organization, a regulatory agency, a member of the U.S. Intelligence Community, and a first responder, the Coast Guard employs a unique mix of authorities, broad jurisdiction, flexible operational capabilities, and a network of partnerships. The Coast Guard is the principal Federal agency responsible for maritime safety, security, and environmental stewardship in U.S. ports and inland waterways, along more than 95,000 miles of U.S. coastline, throughout the 4.5 million square miles of U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone, and on the high seas. Living in a coastal community, we are familiar with their Search and Rescue work, we see the helicopters, planes, and boats almost daily. Hear from a senior Coast Guard officer about how the smallest of the country’s military branches works to ensure our Nation's maritime safety, security, and stewardship.

4/12/24 - “Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony: 1824-2023”

Thomas Forrest Kelly, Harvard University

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5/17/24 - “Regeneration of Complex Tissues: Axolotls Lead the Way, Can We Follow?”

Karen Echeverri, Marine Biological Laboratory

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The Falmouth Forum is supported by the Falmouth Forum Endowment, the Bakalar Endowed Director's Discretionary Fund, and The Falmouth Fund of The Cape Cod Foundation.

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