- About
- With 500+ faculty, staff and students and three campus locations, the Batten School & VIMS are equipped to tackle pressing challenges through research, education and advisory service.
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- Research & Advisory
- Purple marsh crabs are significantly disrupting carbon cycling in salt marshes along the East Coast of the U.S., according to a study led by Batten School & VIMS scientists.
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- Batten School
- The R. Todd Stravitz Scholars Program will provide full tuition support for students pursuing the new bachelor’s degree in coastal & marine sciences at the Batten School & VIMS.
  
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- Engage
- Popular, free camps enable rising third through eighth graders to learn about the Chesapeake Bay, coastal ecosystems and environmental stewardship.
  
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- News & Events
- National TRAP Program funds large-scale cleanup of discarded fishing gear, first round of subawards totaling more than $1.4M supports 11 projects focused on removing derelict fishing gear from coastal waters in nine U.S. states and Palau.
  
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- Giving
- As an expression of parental pride in their daughter, Taylor Spencer ‘83 and Martha Spencer recently established an undergraduate field research endowment at the Batten School & VIMS.
  
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Mal J. Banton

Sponsored Programs Administrator

Email: [[v|mjbanton]]
Phone: (804) 684-7028
Office: Remote
Unit: Office of Sponsored Programs
Interests: Microbial Ecology, Built-Environment Microbiomes, Citizen Science

Education

B.S., Biology, Coastal Carolina University, 2016
M.S., Microbiology, University of Florida, 2022

About

I currently support the CBNERR-VA and ESL sections as a Sponsored Programs Administrator, while also personally continuing to grow my interests in built-environment microbiomes, microbial ecology, and the integration of these natural systems with biotechnology. I have previous experience in a multitude of higher education positions at a variety of institutions that have shaped my foundational belief that institutes of higher education can allow individuals and communities to flourish. Combined with my admiration for nature and conservation, I'm glad to have found a home where my background and career interests can intersect at VIMS.