To contact Shoals Marine Laboratory in general, please send an email to shoals.lab@unh.edu or call (603) 862-5346.
Leadership
The Shoals Marine Laboratory (SML) leadership team is dedicated to fulfilling our mission, strengthening our tradition of academic excellence, and enhancing our programs and services. The SML Executive Committee, along with the SML Executive Director, make up the core of leadership. Valuable input, advice, and support come from the SML Academic Advisory Committee.
Shoals Marine Laboratory is seeking a new Executive Director.
The Executive Director of the Shoals Marine Laboratory (SML) will sustain the mission of the Lab and bring new vision that builds on its long and successful history. This individual will provide leadership in the following areas: successful grantsmanship and development experience, establishing partnerships and/or cooperative agreements with foundations or other organizations, and provide responsible oversight of academic and public programs, finances, and facilities.
Application review will begin August 7th, 2023 and continue until the position is filled.
You can find more information here.
What is the SEC?
The leadership of SML includes an Executive Committee. The SEC is comprised of 7 people plus a special topical advisor. Three members are from Cornell and three from UNH, plus SML’s Executive Director. Members typically serve a period of three years, though as we reform this committee, we are staggering the service periods randomly among the members. We hope you can join the Committee for a period of 3 years. This appointment can be renewed.
The committee will focus on three things:
1. Operate effectively and efficiency with the support of our UNH and Cornell
2. Find solutions to operational and program challenges
3. Identify opportunities for growth, engagement, and overall mission
Committee members include:
Dr. Diane Foster, chair
Director, School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering, University of New Hampshire
Kenneth La Valley
VICE PROVOST OF OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT/DIRECTOR, UNH EXTENSION
Dr. Kim Babbitt
Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, University of New Hampshire
Esther Angert
Senior Associate Dean, Office of the Senior Associate Deans, Cornell University
Sahara Byrne
Senior Associate Dean, Office of the Senior Associate Deans, Cornell University
Amy R. McCune
Professor Emerita, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University
The SML Academic Advisory Committee is made up of three subgroups: Cornell faculty, UNH faculty, and faculty from other institutions.
The goals of the SML Academic Advising Committee are to:
- Help guide SML academic programming each year (short term)
- Help SML understand and maximize our service to student & faculty needs/desires;
- Help SML academic programs evolve in an appropriate direction (long term); and
- Assist us to effectively and quickly disseminate information to faculty and students about SML opportunities, changes, and other news.
Cornell University members
Dr. Eugene Won
Academic Coordinator for Shoals Marine Laboratory at Cornell University
Dr. David Bonter
Assistant Director of Citizen Science, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Dr. Matt Hare
Associate Professor, Dept. of Natural Resources
Dr. Bruce Monger
Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
University of New Hampshire members
Dr. Elizabeth Craig
Academic Coordinator for Shoals Marine Laboratory at the University of New Hampshire
Dr. Gregg Moore
Associate Professor, Dept. of Biological Sciences
Dr. Catherine Ashcroft
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Natural Resources & the Environment
Dr. David Plachetzki
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Molecular, Cellular, & Biomedical Sciences
Dr. Win Watson
Professor, Dept. of Biological Sciences
Members from other institutions
Dr. Jarrett Byrnes
Assistant Professor, UMass Boston
Dr. Jan Factor
Professor, Purchase College SUNY
Dr. Nadine Lysiak
Faculty, Marine Studies Consortium; Lecturer, UMass Boston
![]() Jack Kingsbury Cornell University jmk11@cornell.edu |
![]() J.B. Heiser Cornell University jbh7@cornell.edu |
![]() Patty McGill Dallas Zoo patricia.mcgill@dallaszoo.com |
![]() Brian Rivest State University of New York Cortland rivestb@cortland.edu |
![]() Jim Morin Cornell University jgm18@cornell.edu |
![]() Willy Bemis Cornell University web24@cornell.edu |
![]() Jon Pennock Dr. Jonathan R. Pennock, 2013-2014 (Interim)
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Dr. Jennifer Seavey
Dr. Jennifer Seavey, 2014-2023

(left to right) Willy Bemis, Patty McGill, Brian Rivest, Jack Kingsbury, J.B. Heiser and Jim Morin on Appledore Island.