June 2025 Newsletter
the power of PLACE
The Docent Program at RMBL
RMBL’s docent program started as a way for the lab to better connect with the community and communicate the remarkable science happening at the lab. Since its creation through the Visitor Center, the docent team has become a tight-knit bunch that benefits both researchers and those coming through Gothic who had no idea RMBL existed.
Spend a few minutes with some of the key leaders of the Docent Program as they walk us through their impact during their annual Docent Dinner to kick off the summer.
Ian Billick | PhD
Executive Director, RMBL
sciencestories
Docents out and about: The team's trip to Gothic this past winter
In early March 2025, twelve RMBL volunteers and staff met at the Snodgrass trailhead, strapped on skinny skis and packs, and ventured three miles to Gothic for an overnight stay at RMBL’s Crystal Hut. We were mostly acquaintances yet bonded by summer volunteerism and public education. The purpose of this winter field trip was to grow community, talk about volunteerism and public education, and simply enjoy the quiet solace of Gothic in winter.
During summer, RMBL is a bustling, vibrant scientific community with up to 200 residents. In winter, RMBL’s townsite and cabins are mostly shuttered, and the number of full-time residents and caretakers drops to six. They maintain the campus, monitor seasonal changes, and record snow amounts, water content, and weather daily.