Kathleen Thornton

Kathleen is the manager of the Marine Water Quality Laboratory (MWQL) which specializes in analysis of seawater samples for a variety of environmental parameters. Kathleen guided the MWQL through the State of Maine Laboratory Accreditation process. The lab is currently accredited by the State of Maine for several of its analytical protocols.

Kathleen for the last decade has also advised and worked closely with a large network of Maine-based community science organizations monitoring coastal water quality. As manager of MWQL she also works with clients to develop analytical methods and adapt current methods to meet client’s needs, advises students on analytical and technical aspects of their research, teaches undergraduate students, conducts field work and research and spends a lot of time tinkering with unruly laboratory instrumentation.

Prior experience includes organizing and participating in numerous oceanographic research cruises, mostly in the north Pacific, mucking around in mudflats studying the properties of marine sediments, managing a trace metal chemistry lab, and swatting deerflies, blackflies, and mosquitos while studying soil microbial ecology and aquatic insect larvae.

Kathleen grew up in Waldoboro, Maine, just up Route 1 from the Darling Marine Center. She has undergraduate degrees in Zoology and Veterinary Science and a M.S. in Microbial Ecology. Outside of her work in marine science, she is an artist, maintains a menagerie of pets, and enjoys hiking, gardening, poetry, and archery.