Marie Thoms

Marie Thoms headshot
Professional Title
Communication Manager

What I do for Sea Grant 

  • Provide strategic communication program guidance and media relations
  • Manage Sea Grant-related communication products and services
  • Manage Sea Grant's primary and selected project websites
  • Support the director to manage Sea Grant's legislative and government affairs
  • Manage messaging and marketing for Sea Grant products
  • Editorial and scientific review of proposals
  • Annual federal reporting
  • Provide news releases on programs, projects, products, and services
  • Serve on Minnesota Sea Grant's leadership team.

Research Interests

  • Science communication
  • Public understanding of science
  • Science journalism
  • Communication science

Education

M.S. - Professional Communication
University of Alaska Fairbanks
B.S. - Biological Sciences
Western Michigan University
B.S. - Natural Resources and Environmental Communication
The Ohio State University

Outreach Projects

Trout being tossed from a hand-held net into an aquaculture pond.

Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative

The Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative (GLAC) is a three-year (2019-2022) project to create a regionwide group to foster relevant, science-based initiatives that support aquaculture industries. Credit: L. Angradi.

Aquaculture Market Study

The Aquaculture Market Study is a three-year (2020-2023), $250,000 project led by the University of Minnesota Sea Grant program that was created to determine the potential for a sustainable food-fish aquaculture industry in Minnesota.

Yellow perch swimming in water just above a bed of small gravel.

Egg-to-Market Yellow Perch Project

The University of Minnesota Sea Grant program is developing producer-scale methods for raising Yellow Perch fish from egg to market size in a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS).

Great Lakes Fresh Fish Finder, cartoon grocery cart with two jumping fish in the basket.

Great Lakes FreshFishFinder.org Website

FreshFishFinder.org was developed to meet a need to directly connect fish producers with consumers after the disruption of traditional markets during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Upcoming Events

Person standing next to large fish tank holding a liquid dropper.

Sustainable Aquaculture to Prevent Invasive Species and Increase Local Food Security

Person standing next to large fish tank holding a liquid dropper.

Sustainable Aquaculture to Prevent Invasive Species and Increase Local Food Security

Featured Stories

Six people standing together in front of a booth wearing aprons.
July 31, 2023

Great Lakes Aquaculture Products Featured on Capitol Hill

Extension Column

The Sea Grant Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative, led by Minnesota Sea Grant, hosted a Great Lakes aquaculture seafood booth at the annual NOAA Sustainable Seafood Celebration in Washington D.C. in June 2023.

Media Mentions

News Releases

cartoon fish and the words Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative
August 25, 2023

Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative Offers Reimbursement to Attend Aquaculture Events

The Minnesota Sea Grant-led Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative is offering reimbursement to attend and/or present at state or regional aquaculture meetings in the Great Lakes states. 

Two people showing head and shoulders.
August 21, 2023

Minnesota Sea Grant Co-Hosts Fish Farm Session at National Fisheries Meeting

Minnesota Sea Grant extension educators will be presenting at the 153rd Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, August 20-24, 2023, i

Multiple images of fish, people near fish tanks, and a cartoon fish logo
October 19, 2022

Great Lakes Sea Grant Programs Awarded $425,000 to Advance Aquaculture

DULUTH, Minn.