Alumnus Douglas McLaughlin named UW-Green Bay’s ‘Earth Caretaker’ for 2018
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Environmental Management and Business Institute (EMBI) will award the ninth annual Earth Caretaker Award to UW-Green Bay alumnus Douglas McLaughlin, Ph.D.
McLaughlin received two degrees from UW-Green Bay — his bachelor’s degree in 1983 in Science and Environmental Change (emphasis in Biological Resources Management) and a Master’s of Environmental Science in 1985 (Aquatic Biology emphasis). He received his Ph.D. from UW-Madison in 1994. Today, McLaughlin is a principal research scientist at the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Inc. (NCASI), a non-profit environmental research organization near Kalamazoo, Michigan. There, he provides scientific expertise and research that address questions affecting surface water quality and management.
He began his career in 1985 as an environmental scientist with Fort Howard Corporation in Green Bay after completing his degree and being mentored under the guidance of UW-Green Bay faculty member H.J. “Bud” Harris. At Fort Howard, he worked on projects related to characterizing and improving wastewater quality, and led several studies designed to better understand and reduce concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in mill wastewater. McLaughlin has worked on water quality issues relevant to the pulp and paper industry for most of his career, including five years as a consulting scientist responsible for the design and implementation of technical studies at PCB-contaminated sediment sites.
Over the last several years, he has focused on the science supporting the development of numeric water quality criteria for nutrients and other pollutants. These criteria are a central part of water quality management in the U.S. under the Clean Water Act and represent potentially important sustainability goals for guiding human interactions with aquatic ecosystems.
The Earth Caretaker Award recognizes UW-Green Bay graduates who have distinguished themselves in their professional field and are widely recognized for their career accomplishments in the areas of sustainability, environmental management, environmental policy, or other closely related areas.
By invitation only, the award ceremony and reception will be held from 5:30 p.m. on April 19, 2018 in the Phoenix Rooms, University Union.
About the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is a comprehensive public institution offering undergraduate and graduate programs to 7,158 students. The University transforms lives and communities through exceptional and award-winning teaching and research, innovative learning opportunities, and a problem-solving approach to education. For more information, visit www.uwgb.edu.
