Image created by Andrew Lehoullier

Meghan Williams is an environmental toxicologist in the Water Quality Bureau at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), where her primary duties involve the development of surface water criteria for the protection of human health and aquatic life. She also works with wastewater staff in reviewing the toxicity of chemicals that are added to the wastewater treatment process and assists with water quality standards rule development. Recently her efforts have been focused on developing surface water criteria for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, reviewing algal toxin data, and revisions to the recreational water quality standards for bacteria. Meghan earned a BA in Zoology from Ohio Wesleyan University and a MS in Biology from Bowling Green State University, where she studied the effects of copper sulfate on aquatic invertebrates in drinking water reservoirs. She joined the DNR in 2012 as part of the Fish Contaminant Program and was responsible for analyzing fish contaminants trends, managing the contaminants database, and consumption advisory outreach. She also worked at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene as part of the Biomonitoring team performing WET tests, and in was a project manager for the EcoToxChip project at McGill University in Montreal. Meghan has published research on fatty acid concentrations in Great Lakes fish, the effects of copper sulfate on zooplankton populations, temporal trends in PCBs in Great Lakes trout, and fish consumption advisory comprehension among anglers. Meghan lives in Madison with her husband and young daughter. In her free time, she enjoys baking and canning, crocheting, and getting outdoors as much as possible.