Many scientists return to the MBL summer after summer to teach or do research. When we asked why, their answers included words like “recharge”, “magical”, “ inspire”, “interact”, “connections”, “learn”, and “life changing”. Clearly the MBL, and similar institutions that bring scientists together, impact researchers’ lives long after the summer sun has set.All of the speakers were visiting scientists at the Marine Biological Laboratory during the summer of 2012. Many taught in courses, while others participated in collaborative research projects.Funded and sponsored by the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) National Science Foundation (NSF) University of California San Francisco (UCSF)