New director brings global perspective to VIMS Eastern Shore Laboratory
Stacy Krueger-Hadfield becomes fifth director in field station’s rich history
On July 1, Stacy Krueger-Hadfield officially became director at William & Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science Eastern Shore Laboratory (VIMS ESL), marking the start of a new chapter at one of the nation's premier field stations for coastal and marine sciences. The role formalizes a leadership transition that began during her time as assistant director and continued when she stepped into the role of interim director in January.
Krueger-Hadfield joined VIMS ESL in Wachapreague, Virginia, in 2024 as assistant director and an associate professor at the Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences. She brought with her an international academic background and a robust research program: the Algal Evolutionary Ecology (AlgEE) Lab.
"When I moved my research to VIMS ESL in 2024, the long-term plan was for me to step into the shoes of the director. Now that it’s finally here, it feels a bit surreal," said Krueger-Hadfield. "My near- and long-term goals center on continuing our legacy of exceptional science, education, outreach and advisory service, and I hope to find ways where we can expand and enhance our reach.”
"Stacy combines scientific excellence with a collaborative leadership style and a deep appreciation for what makes the Eastern Shore Laboratory so special," said Derek Aday, director of VIMS and dean of the Batten School. "She has already demonstrated an ability to inspire students, support colleagues and build meaningful partnerships, and I am excited to see how Stacy's vision will elevate VIMS’ impact in research, education and service to coastal communities."
International accomplishments lead to the Eastern Shore
After obtaining her B.S. and M.S. degrees from California State University, Northridge, Krueger-Hadfield pursued doctoral studies on two continents, earning Ph.D. degrees from the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and what is now Sorbonne University in Paris, France. Her dissertation research was conducted primarily at the Station Biologique de Roscoff, one of the oldest European marine stations, and Krueger-Hadfield has since collected algae and invertebrate specimens on every continent except for Australia and Antarctica.
Krueger-Hadfield's professional accomplishments include postdoctoral fellowships at the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom and Grice Marine Laboratory at the College of Charleston, a position as Mote Visiting Researcher at Florida State University, the Normal J. Lang Early Career Fellowship from the Phycological Society of America and a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation. Before joining VIMS & the Batten School, Krueger-Hadfield was a faculty member in the Department of Biology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Yet in all her globetrotting, one location stands out.
“VIMS ESL is, without doubt, my favorite place in which I have had the opportunity to work,” said Krueger-Hadfield. “The synergy of a stellar staff, world-class facilities and the proximity to such a fabulous wild seascape are rare qualities. I look at the future with great anticipation, because I get to lead such an exceptional team.”
As director, Krueger-Hadfield succeeds Richard Snyder. During his tenure, Snyder oversaw the expansion of bay scallop restoration, installation of water quality stations on the Eastern Shore and a multimillion-dollar renovation and rebuilding of the Wachapreague campus.
“It’s an honor to follow in the footsteps of H. Dickson Hoese, Mike Castagna, Mark Luckenbach and Dick Snyder,” said Krueger-Hadfield of her predecessors.
New programs continue a tradition of excellence
The new director is already making her mark. Historically, Batten School students would only occasionally visit the field station to conduct research. That changed when Krueger-Hadfield brought the AlgEE Lab to VIMS ESL. Graduate students in her research group can now participate in an immersive program in which they complete required coursework on the Gloucester Point campus at an accelerated pace before relocating to the Eastern Shore full time as a member of the AlgEE Lab.
“From a mentor’s perspective, I think it is fantastic that these students get hands-on experience doing their specific research, while simultaneously participating in VIMS ESL’s research programs, education, outreach and advisory service roles,” said Krueger-Hadfield. “Since we are a relatively small research station, each student and post-doc can be immersed in all facets of VIMS ESL, broadening their education in ways that are unique and not really replicated elsewhere.”
Xander Geragotelis was the very first Batten School student that Krueger-Hadfield brought into her lab. Now an M.S. candidate, Geragotelis says he’s enjoyed getting to work so closely in the field with VIMS ESL staff.
“Stacy has been very helpful in her mentorship,” he said. “As the first student based at VIMS ESL, I've relied a lot on her quite a bit. She's brought a lot of new ideas to the table and has been working really hard to implement them while still supporting the staff and students. It will be wonderful to see how the lab continues to grow and how we'll work to engage even more with the Eastern Shore community.”
The arrival of full-time students, as well as post-doctoral fellows, has infused the Wachapreague campus with a new and lively tempo, according to Krueger-Hadfield. Motivated by this early success, she envisions adding additional resident faculty to further strengthen research diversity, increase competitiveness for grant funding and enrich the experience of visiting scientists and students.
Leading with gratitude
For Krueger-Hadfield, becoming director represents both a professional milestone and the continuation of a journey made possible by mentors, colleagues and family who have helped shape her career.
“None of my accomplishments would have been possible without an important group of people,” she said, giving credit to family members, past advisors, mentors and lab mates. Krueger-Hadfield acknowledges influential encouragement from her parents, who helped collect samples as her “algal roadies” during her master’s research, as well as invaluable support from her husband who, she said, “followed me from the U.K. to this ‘Little City by the Sea,’ with several stops along the way.”
Now, Krueger-Hadfield is eager to lead the laboratory into its next era while honoring the legacy established by those who came before her.
“I am excited to work with the VIMS ESL staff and the dynamic research group I have been able to assemble,” she said. “As director, my research interests can now expand in ways that would not have been possible in my previous faculty position. I plan to continue the shellfish ecology and aquaculture legacy of VIMS ESL, while also applying that expertise to algae. The real-world application of what we do here is a thrill, and I’m excited for what will develop down the road.”