Carolyn M. Merkel is the Founding Partner of Mariner Analytical LLC. She earned her BS in Chemistry from Ramapo College of New Jersey; PhD at Columbia University (Inorganic Chemistry, thesis advisor Dr. Stephen J. Lippard), and an additional MS in Technology Management at New Jersey Institute of Technology. She was a Robert A. Welch Fellow at the University of Texas at Arlington (advisor Dr. Donald R. Martin). In her business career, she focused on beverages, food, and nutritional products. After almost 20 years with global consumer product companies, she formed Mariner Analytical LLC. Mariner Analytical provides full-service technical support to a diverse roster of clients, ranging from start-ups to Fortune 50 companies. She consults domestically and internationally on projects ranging from chemical manufacturing and medical devices to dietary supplements and snack foods. She applies her passion for Quality — developed with rigorous training and excellent mentorship — to practice a multidisciplinary approach to problem-solving.

She is a Certified Food Scientist, and a member of Sigma Xi, the American Chemical Society, and the Institute of Food Technologists. She has numerous patents and publications, is an accomplished public speaker, and has received awards for teaching and research as well as community service. She believes passionately in education, with active membership in the Ramapo College Alumni Association, currently serving as President, and is honored to be a member of the Ramapo College Board of Governors.