Dr. Karen McLaughlin
Dr. Karen McLaughlin is the Regional Monitoring Coordinator at SCCWRP facilitating implementation of the Southern California Bight Regional Marine Monitoring Program. Her research program investigates human impacts on coastal ecosystems using environmental monitoring to identify sources, fate and transport of contaminants to coastal habitats and investigating impacts of those contaminants on those habitats. Her current research activities include integrating and optimizing monitoring programs to characterize the vulnerability of coastal marine ecosystems to multiple anthropogenic stressors and developing appropriate indicators and metrics for assessing water and sediment quality in Southern California. Her research also includes understanding factors and processes controlling nearshore ocean acidification and hypoxia (OAH) and understanding ecosystem response to anthropogenic nutrient loading.
She received her B.S. in geosciences from Pennsylvania State University in 1999, and her Ph.D. in geological and environmental sciences from Stanford University in 2005. She joined SCCWRP in March 2007.
Education
Ph.D., geological & environmental sciences, Stanford University, 2005
B.S., geosciences, Pennsylvania State University, 1999
Professional Experience
Principal Scientist, Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA. 2007-present
Postdoctoral Researcher, University of California, Irvine. Irvine, CA. 2006-2007
Graduate Research Assistant, Stanford University Department of Geological & Environmental Sciences. Stanford, CA. 1999-2005
Undergraduate Research Assistant, Penn State University Department of Geosciences. State College, PA. 1997-1999
Honors and Awards
Stanford University-US Geological Survey Graduate Fellow (2001)
Schlanger Ocean Drilling Program Fellow (2000)
Stanford University McGee Research Grant Recipient (2000)
Honorable Mention, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (2000)
Distinction Graduate, Department of Geosciences, Penn State University (1999)
Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society (1998)
Teas Scholarship for Geological Sciences, Penn State University (1998)
Drake Scholarship for Summer Field School, Penn State University (1998)
Trustees Scholarship for Geological Sciences, Penn State University (1997)
Golden Key National Honor Society (1996)
Phi Eta Sigma Freshman Honor Society (1995)
Professional Societies
American Geophysical Union
American Society of Limnology and Oceanography
Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation
California Estuarine Research Society
Selected Presentations and Conference Proceedings
McLaughlin, K. 2021. Ocean Acidification: Causes and Implications of Changing Ocean Chemistry. University of California, Irvine. CEE60, "Contemporary and Emerging Environmental Challenges" Guest Lecture.
McLaughlin, K., N. Bednarsek, K. Chang, D. Shultz, K. Schiff. 2021. Regional Monitoring for Biological Impacts of Ocean Acidification in the Urbanized Coastal Waters of Southern California. Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation 26th Biennial Conference. November 1-4 & 8-11 2021. (virtual).
McLaughlin, K., K. Schiff. 2021. Using Collaborative Regional Surveys to Assess Ocean Acidification. 12th National Monitoring Conference. April 19-23, 2021 (virtual).
McLaughlin, K. 2020. The Southern California Bight Regional Marine Monitoring Program: A Collaborative Monitoring Program Assessing Human Impacts on Coastal Marine Habitats. California Cooperative Fisheries Investigations Annual Meeting. (virtual).
McLaughlin, K. 2020. Ocean Acidification: Causes and Implications of Changing Ocean Chemistry. University of California, Irvine. CEE60, "Contemporary and Emerging Environmental Challenges" Guest Lecture.
McLaughlin, K., K. Schiff, N. Bednarsek, B. Du, D. Gillett, J.F. Griffith, D.n Greenstein, A. Parks, J. Smith and S. Weisberg. Regional Monitoring for Sediment and Water Quality in the Urban Ocean of the Southern California Bight (CP21A-06). Ocean Sciences Meeting, February 2020, San Diego, CA.
McLaughlin, K. 2019. Ocean Acidification: Causes and Implications of Changing Ocean Chemistry. University of California, Irvine. CEE60, "Contemporary and Emerging Environmental Challenges" Guest Lecture.
McLaughlin, K., F. Kessouri, M. Sutula, M. Ho, J. McWilliams, C. Deutsch, D. Bianchi, N. Bednarsek, L. Renault, R. Feely, R. Ambrose, Stephen Weisberg. Validation of a High-Resolution Physical-Biogeochemical Model for Pollution Impact Assessments in the Southern California Bight. Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation 25th Biennial Conference, 2019, Mobile, AL.
McLaughlin, K., C. Deutsch, F. Kessouri, M. Howard, J. McWilliams, M. Sutula. 2017. Understanding the Impact of Anthropogenic Nutrients on Coastal Ocean Nutrient and Carbon Cycling. Coastal and Estuarine Research Society Biennial Conference. Providence, RI.
McLaughlin, K. 2017. Monitoring Acidification in Coastal and Estuarine Waters. California State Water Resources Control Board. Office of Information Management & Analysis Brown Bag Seminar.
McLaughlin, K. 2016. Acid Ocean? The What, When, Where and Why of Ocean Acidification. Teen Science Café. Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, CA.
Virmani, J., M. Huelsenbeck, K. McLaughlin. 2015. pH Sensors from the Wendy Schmidt Ocean Health XPRIZE. California Current Acidification Network, Ocean Acidification Round Table Webinar.
McLaughlin, K., N.P. Nezlin, S.B. Weisberg. 2015. An Evaluation of Potentiometric pH Sensors in Coastal Monitoring Applications. Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation Biennial Meeting. Portland, OR.
McLaughlin, K., M.D.A. Howard, N.P. Nezlin, C.D.A. Beck, G. Roberston. 2014. Unraveling the Impacts of Wastewater Effluent on Coastal Nitrogen Cycling: Lessons from the Southern California Bight. California Estuarine Research Society Fall Meeting. Bodega Bay, CA.
McLaughlin K, M.D.A. Howard, N.P. Nezlin, C.D.A. Beck, G. Robertson. 2014. Untangling the Impacts of Wastewater Effluent on Coastal Nitrogen Cycling: Lessons from the Southern California Bight. Ocean Sciences Meeting. Honolulu, HI.
McLaughlin, K., 2014. Ocean Acidification: Causes and Implications of Changing Ocean Chemistry. Back Bay Science Center Lecture Series, Newport Beach, CA.
McLaughlin, K., 2014. Ocean Acidification: Causes and Implications of Changing Ocean Chemistry. Coastal Commission, Newport Beach, CA.
McLaughlin, K., M. Sutula, L. Busse, S. Anderson, J. Crooks, R. Dagit, D. Gibson, K. Johnston, N. Nezlin, A. Sengupta, L. Stratton. 2013. Nutrients or Biological Response: How Should We Assess Eutrophication in Estuaries? Thoughts based on work in southern California. Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation Biennial Meeting, San Diego, CA.
McLaughlin, K., M. Sutula, L. Busse, S. Anderson, S. Birosik, R. Dagit, J. Crooks, D. Gibson, K. Johnston, L. Stratton, 2013. Riverine Nutrient Inputs and Extent of Estuarine Eutrophication in the Southern California Bight: Results from the Bight 08 Regional Survey. California Water Quality Monitoring Collaboration Network Webinar.
McLaughlin, K. Untangling the Effects of Anthropogenic Versus Natural Nutrient Sources in the Southern California Bight. 2013. University of California, Irvine. Civil and Environmental Engineering Department Seminar.
McLaughlin, K., M. Sutula, L. Busse, S. Anderson, S. Bergquist, J. Crooks, R.Dagit, D. Gibson, K. Johnson, and L. Stratton. 2012. Magnitude and Extent of Eutrophication in Southern California Bight Estuaries: Results of the Bight '08 Regional Survey. Presentation at Headwaters to Ocean Annual Conference. San Diego, CA.
McLaughlin, K., M. Sutula, L. Busse, S. Anderson, S. Bergquist, J. Crooks, R.Dagit, D. Gibson, K. Johnson, and L. Stratton. 2012. Magnitude and Extent of Eutrophication in Southern California Bight Estuaries: Results of the Bight '08 Regional Survey. Presentation at California Estuarine Research Society Conference. Long Beach, CA.