Batten School & VIMS alumni reconnect and celebrate at CERF 2025
“A lot of our alumni hold very high positions, so you look around the room and it’s really impressive.”
Rom Lipcius spoke those words as he observed the lively crowd gathered for a highly anticipated reception for alumni of William & Mary's Batten School & VIMS, held in conjunction with the biennial Coastal & Estuarine Research Federation (CERF) Conference.
A longtime professor at the Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences & VIMS, Lipcius was thrilled to see many former colleagues and students at Hardywood Brewery in Richmond, Virginia. Those included Geno Olmi Ph.D. ’93, a soon-to-be retired National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration coordinator and Lipcius’ very first graduate student.
“I’ve only missed two CERF conferences since I started attending in 1979,” Olmi boasted as he reminisced alongside other former students.
Held every two years, CERF is widely attended by Batten School & VIMS researchers and students eager to present their most recent scientific findings. In 2025, the conference featured 2 workshops, 26 posters and 79 oral presentations where at least one author or presenter was affiliated with the Batten School & VIMS. The popularity of CERF makes the conference the largest regular gathering of Batten School & VIMS alumni.
The alumni reception drew as many as 200 attendees, including current graduate and undergraduate students, alumni, faculty, staff, family and friends. “We know a lot of our alumni live in Hampton Roads, in Richmond and in D.C., so this was the perfect opportunity to bring people together,” said Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Siddhartha Mitra Ph.D. ’97.
This year’s CERF conference theme, “Estuaries: Tradition and Transition,” provided a fitting backdrop for celebrating both the deep history and the future trajectory of the Batten School & VIMS. In his opening remarks, Mitra paused to paused to recognize retiring faculty members Carl Friedrichs, Mark Luckenbach, Kimberly Reese and Richard Snyder; four scientists whose careers have shaped generations of students while significantly advancing our understanding of coastal and marine sciences.
Batten School Dean & VIMS Director Derek Aday similarly echoed themes of history and strategic growth in his brief statements: “Where will we be in another 85 years? We want to be the place that the public and decision-makers turn to for solutions to the existential challenges faced by coastal communities. Not just in Virginia, but across the nation and around the world. As the primary research engine at William & Mary, we’re now being recognized and valued, externally and internally, and we need to ensure that we continue to accelerate and amplify that recognition.”
Aday encouraged alumni to return to Gloucester Point, not only to see the physical transformations underway but also to speak with the enthusiastic students who bring campus to life each day with their passion for learning and research.
Many of those students attended the alumni reception, hoping to network and learn from those who came before them. Undergraduate students Sierra Hall, Mary Laun and Lily Shriner explained that they were interested in learning about the graduate school and career paths pursued by alumni, while M.S. student Ari Siegel commented that CERF was the best conference he’s attended in his academic career.
Professor and Center for Coastal Resources Management Director Kirk Havens reiterated, “This is a great opportunity for younger scientists, researchers and students to get a chance to present, and to network.”
That sense of connection — from rekindled friendships to new professional bonds — echoed throughout the evening.
Justine Woodward M.S. ’09, now with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, emphasized the importance of these moments: “It’s been fantastic to reconnect with people. In fact, I’ve had conversations with people I’ve recently been working with online and now I’m seeing those faces in person while continuing to build on existing relationships that I started twenty years ago.”
The evening concluded with heartfelt stories, thunderous laughter and immense gratitude for the enduring strength of the shared Batten School & VIMS community. Undoubtedly, attendees are already looking forward to the next CERF conference and alumni reception, which will take place in 2027 in Puerto Rico.