Kerry Whittaker

Kerry Whittaker serves as Associate Professor of Coastal and Marine Environmental Science within the Ocean Studies Department at Maine Maritime Academy's Corning School of Ocean Studies. Since joining MMA in 2020, she has developed the new Coastal and Marine Environmental Science (CMES) program, teaching courses including Introduction to Oceanography, Coastal Resource Management, and Land Margin Ecosystems. Prior to MMA, she held positions as Assistant Professor of Oceanography at Sea Education Association (sailing as Chief Scientist on tall ships in Pacific/Atlantic Oceans) and Faculty Chair of Coastal Studies for Girls.

Her educational credentials include a B.A. in English and Environmental Science from Colby College (2008) and a Ph.D. in Oceanography from the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography (2014).

Dr. Whittaker's research centers on ecological, physical, and evolutionary processes generating oceanic diversity, with emphasis on marine microbes. She employs molecular ecology and population genetics across taxa and ecosystems—from diatoms to dragonfish, polar regions to mesopelagic zones—with phytoplankton (especially diatoms) as her primary focus. Her work bridges field-based oceanography with molecular techniques to address conservation challenges, including endangered species policy under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

Her recent publications reveal interdisciplinary trends spanning microbial colonization of volcanic islands, Sargasso Sea bacterioplankton dynamics, phytoplankton microbiome structures, and genetic divergence in pelagic Sargassum, demonstrating consistent integration of molecular biology, oceanography, and conservation policy across marine ecosystems.

Her scientific recognition includes the Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship (2014), during which she advanced endangered species listings at NOAA Fisheries' Office of Protected Resources.

As an educator, Dr. Whittaker passionately merges oceanographic research with undergraduate experiential learning. She has extensive at-sea teaching experience aboard research vessels worldwide and advocates for scientific inquiry through sea-going field work, believing it provides profound perspective on human impacts on marine environments. Her media appearances include NASA Earth Expeditions, WCAI Living Lab Radio, and Maine Public Radio.