IMET Winter Series Recap
This year’s Winter Series featured two events focused on the topics of environmental justice and environmental research. These events brought in 123 people through IMET’s doors to learn more about Baltimore and engage in discussion.
The first event was a screening of two short films: Eroding History by André Chung, Sean Yoes, and Rona Kobell; and Disruption: Baltimore’s Highway to Nowhere, by Sean Yoes. These films depicted the history of Baltimore and the Maryland Eastern Shore that continue to impact communities today. Participants then had an engaging discussion with our guest panelists that included the three filmmakers and moderator Amanda Phillips-De Lucas from Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance. The Environmental Justice Journalism Initiative produced both films, and co-founder Donzell Brown introduced them.
In February, there was a public lecture by IMET’s Marine Ecosystem Health & Disease Lab. Lecturers include Dr. Allison Tracy, Kristina Colacicco, and Hannah Brunelle, sharing the research being done in the Tracy Lab around oysters and clams in the Chesapeake Bay. The lecture discussed the history of oysters, their importance as a foundation species, and the factors contributing to their decline. The lecture showed the ongoing research being done to understand microbiomes and their relationship to oyster health, and how environmental conditions impact prevalence and intensity of diseases in clams.