CAROLYN A. THOROUGHGOOD

Dr. Carolyn A. Thoroughgood is the Vice Provost for Research and Graduate Studies at the University of Delaware and President of the UD Technology Corporation. She is also a Professor in UD’s College of Marine and Earth Studies. Formerly, she served as Dean of UD’s College of Marine Studies and Director of the Delaware Sea Grant College Program for 20 years. 

Dr. Thoroughgood joined the University of Delaware faculty in 1968 as a nutritional biochemist and conducted Sea Grant research on the nutritional needs of bivalves reared in closed-environment systems. She was one of the organizers and officers of the Council on Ocean Affairs, a national organization of marine academic institutions and the predecessor to the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education (CORE).  She served as CORE’s first Chair of the Board of Governors and was the consortium’s Acting President from December 2001 to August 2002. During this period, she became the principal investigator on the first Centers for Ocean Sciences Excellence in Education (COSEE) Central Coordinating Office proposal to the National Science Foundation. 

Her service to the national marine community often requires congressional testimony and staff assistance to key legislative committees. In addition to her appointment to NOAA’s Science Advisory Board, Dr. Thoroughgood served on the Science Advisory Panel to the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and is on the Southeastern University Research Association (SURA) Executive Committee. She also chairs SURA’s Coastal Committee.

She is the principal investigator for the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association and is an active participant in implementing the nation's Integrated Ocean Observing System. This network of sea sensors is designed to provide continuous ocean data for a number of applications, from improving weather forecasts to enhancing maritime safety.

Recently, Dr. Thoroughgood was elected President-elect of The Oceanography Society, the international professional society dedicated to the advancement of the understanding of the oceans through education and research. Locally, she has been appointed by Governor Ruth Ann Minner to serve on the State of Delaware’s Science and Technology Council. 

Dr. Thoroughgood also is on the Board of Directors of AAA Mid-Atlantic and chairs Delaware’s AAA Advisory Board. Additionally, she serves on the Board of Directors of the Delaware Innovation Fund.