Margaret R. McLean

Margaret R. McLean, Ph.D., is a Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies and affiliate faculty in Bioengineering at Santa Clara University, where she serves as a Senior Fellow at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. She received the Brutocao Award for Curriculum Innovation in 2006 for her contributions to academic programming.

Her educational background includes a doctorate in clinical pathology from the Medical College of Wisconsin, a Masters of Divinity from Luther Seminary, and a second doctorate in ethics from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley.

McLean's research explores ethical dimensions of biotechnology, healthcare, and medicine, with emphasis on genetic technologies, neonatology, health equity, vulnerable populations, end-of-life care, disaster preparedness, and astrobiology. Her work integrates theoretical ethics with practical applications in clinical and policy settings.

She has received significant recognition for her scholarship, including:

• Brutocao Award for Curriculum Innovation (2006)
• 2014 Gold Award from the American Society of Healthcare Publication Editors
• 2014 EXCEL Bronze Award from Association Media & Publishing
• Congressional Certificate of Recognition (2017)
• Santa Clara County Medical Association Citizen’s Award (2017)

McLean actively contributes to healthcare governance through memberships on bioethics committees at O'Connor Hospital, Seton Medical Center, St. Louise Regional Hospital, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, and the Santa Clara County Medical Association. She previously advised the California Senate Select Committee on Genetics and currently consults for the California Department of Public Health.