Judith E. McDowell, Ph.D.

Recruitment and Screening Panel

Judith E. McDowell is a Senior Scientist in the Biology Department at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) with research interests focused on the physiological effects of contaminants on marine animals. She holds a BS degree in Biology from Stonehill College and MS and PhD degrees in Zoology from the University of New Hampshire. She joined the staff of the Biology Department at WHOI as a Postdoctoral Scholar in 1975 and was appointed to the scientific staff in 1976. Her research has led her to expeditions throughout the world and one of her current projects is examining the relationship of contaminant exposure and disease processes in bivalve mollusk populations in contaminated estuaries and bays in the United States, Eastern Europe, and several areas within the former Soviet Union. Some of her research interests include the physiological ecology of marine animals, the developmental and energetic strategies of marine animals, the physiological effects of pollutants on marine animals, and invertebrate nutrition. Dr. McDowell has received numerous awards for her research including the New England Monthly "Local Hero" Award in 1985, EPA's Environmental Merit Award in 1987, and a Pew Fellowship in Conservation and the Environment in 1995. Dr. McDowell also holds the positions of Coordinator of the WHOI Sea Grant Program and the Associate Dean of the MIT-WHOI Joint Program in Oceanography.