PNNL

Dr. Maggie McKeon is a postdoctoral research associate at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). She joined PNNL’s Energy and Environment Directorate in October 2020, specializing in physical oceanography.

Dr. McKeon focuses on statistical and numerical modeling of sediment in the Lower Columbia River Estuary and greater Columbia River Basin. Occasionally she ventures into wetlands for fieldwork to measure accretion rates and greenhouse gas fluxes. Her favorite part of her job is working with the smart, kind, and dedicated members of the coastal ecosystem team.

With more than 10 years of experience, Dr. McKeon specializes in estuarine hydrodynamics and sediment transport. Her work focuses on understanding the hydrodynamics of highly engineered systems and investigating the consequences of sediment and contaminant transport, both historically and under projected climate change scenarios.

She received her PhD from the University of Washington, where she studied hydrodynamics and sediment transport in the Duwamish River Estuary near Seattle, Washington. Dr. McKeon’s recent publication has been awarded best physical oceanography paper published in the Estuaries and Coasts journal (a biennial award). Additionally, her plenary talk at the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development was acknowledged as a presentation to inspire change.

• The effects of urbanization on estuarine hydrodynamics, additionally sediment and contaminant transport
• Historical and projected changes in estuarine sediment supply
• Science quality
• Sustainability
• Environmental justice of Superfund Sites

• PhD, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington
• MS, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California – Berkeley
• BA, Physics, Amherst College

• Donald W. Pritchard Award, Physical Oceanography Paper (2021)

2020

• McKeon, M.A., A.R. Horner-Devine, and S.N. Giddings. 2020. Seasonal changes in structure and dynamics in an urbanized salt wedge estuary. Estuaries and Coasts.

2017

• Horner-Devine, A.R., J.D. Pietrzak, A.J. Souza, M.A. McKeon, S. Merielles, M. Henriquez, R.P. Flores, S. Rijnsburger. 2017. Cross-shore transport of nearshore sediment by river plume frontal pumping. Geophysical Research Letters.

2004

• Heidenreich, B.J., O.T. Elliott, N.D. Charney, K.A. Virgien, A.W. Bridges, M.A. McKeon, S.K. Peck, D. Krause Jr., J.E.Gordon, L.R. Hunter, S.K. Lamoreaux. 2005. Measurement of the electron electric dipole moment using GdIG. Phys. Rev. Lett. 95 (2004) 253004.