WELLS, Maine, October 1, 2012 — The Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve and Laudholm Trust have honored the late Dr. Michele Dionne, the reserve’s lead scientist and long-time research director, by placing her name on the research laboratory of the Maine Coastal Ecology Center at the Wells Reserve at Laudholm. The announcement was made by Laudholm Trustee Cynthia Daley and Reserve Director Paul Dest at a memorial service held at the reserve on September 23.

“Michele was a powerful force in advancing scientific understanding of coasts and estuaries,” said Dest. “She established a top-notch research program at the Wells Reserve and sustained it for more than 21 years. Naming the Michele Dionne Research Lab is one way to remember a person of extraordinary abilities who gave so much to the reserve and its work in science, education, and conservation."

Dionne was the Wells Reserve’s first research director. Hired in 1991, a few years after the reserve was designated, she began her tenure on the third floor of the recently renovated Laudholm farmhouse without even a desk and chair in her office. Through her passionate devotion to science and an unyielding work ethic, Dionne established a science program that soon gained international recognition. Within a decade, she had assembled a respected staff and helped build momentum for a new science and education building on the Laudholm campus.

Dedicated to local conservation, Dionne ensured that Wells Reserve science would make a difference in Maine’s coastal communities. She stressed that land-use practices far from the coast could have a significant impact on estuarine and ocean systems.

During her time at the reserve, Dionne published more than a dozen papers in the scientific literature and contributed chapters to three books. She served on numerous boards, commissions, and workgroups, offering knowledge and providing insight where estuarine issues were often poorly represented. She served on committees for 19 master’s and doctoral students and employed four post-doctoral fellows. A valued mentor, Michele supervised up to 10 graduate and undergraduate interns each summer.

Michele Dionne passed away at the age of 58 on July 4, 2012 after a long and courageous battle with breast cancer.

The Wells Reserve at Laudholm is a 2,250-acre National Estuarine Research Reserve with its headquarters listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Wells Reserve’s goal is to protect and restore coastal ecosystems around the Gulf of Maine. Staff and volunteers expand knowledge about coasts and estuaries, engage people in environmental learning, and involve communities in conserving natural resources.

The work of the Wells Reserve and the care of its historic site are made possible by Laudholm Trust. Organized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 1982, member-supported Laudholm Trust provides vital monetary and in-kind support to the Wells Reserve. This local support enables the Wells Reserve to receive additional funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The Wells Reserve at Laudholm is located on Laudholm Farm Road, just off U.S. Route 1 near the Wells-Kennebunk line.

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• Download photograph (Michael Wright and Moira Dionne Wright stand outside the Maine Coastal Ecology Center on the campus of the Wells Reserve at Laudholm, where wife, mother, and scientist Dr. Michele Dionne led the research program until her recent passing. Courtesy photo.