Maine Sea Grant Welcomes New Research Coordinator
ORONO, Maine – The University of Maine has appointed James McKenna of Mount Desert as part-time coordinator for the NOAA Sea Grant research program. McKenna is an associate professor of marine biology at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine.
McKenna received a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Boston College and a doctorate in oceanography from the University of Rhode Island. He has taught oceanography at Williams College and Wesleyan University, and served as research coordinator at the Schoodic Education and Research Center at Acadia National Park from 2005 to 2008. McKenna continues his relationship with the National Park Service through research projects to develop and implement estuarine and marine wetland monitoring protocols for parks in the Northeastern US. His research interests include conservation ecology of estuarine and coastal resources, and the application of science to policy and decision-making processes.
As part of his work with Maine Sea Grant, McKenna will supervise the 2011 request for proposals for NOAA Sea Grant research funds, act as a liaison between researchers and Maine Sea Grant’s administration, education, and outreach teams, including the Marine Extension Team, and help ensure the relevance and significance of Sea Grant research.
“The Maine research community and Maine Sea Grant provide meaningful and significant scientific contributions to Maine and our nation, and I am excited about my new role in this effort,” he says.
McKenna can be contacted at sgresearch@maine.edu or 207-581-1433.
For more information about Maine Sea Grant’s research program, visit http://www.seagrant.umaine.edu/research