10 Questions With Lane Whigham
A Q&A With ALLARM's New Director
by Tony Moore
With a deep background in the nonprofit and government sectors, Lane Whigham brings two decades of experience to his new role as director of Dickinson’s Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM). Known for its dual mission—training students through hands-on scientific work and supporting community-based water-quality monitoring— ALLARM is entering its 40th year with fresh energy and direction.
In this Q&A, Whigham reflects on his first few months in the role, the surprises he’s encountered and his vision for the future of this nationally recognized program.
1. What have been the biggest surprises—or unexpected challenges—since you stepped into the director role at ALLARM?
I was surprised that ALLARM is truly two organizations in one. On one side of the coin, ALLARM is an incredible professional development program, where students gain real-world experience in science and outreach. On the other side, ALLARM is a nearly 40-year-old national model for volunteer water-quality monitoring through its work in Pennsylvania and New York. I’ve also been surprised at the brisk pace the team must work in the lab. When we receive water samples for quality assurance from our partners in the field, we often have less than 24 hours to test these samples to ensure data quality. This can make for some very busy days, especially when 10 water samples arrive in the morning.
2. How has your extensive background in nonprofit and government sectors prepared you for leading a community science program like ALLARM?
A key component to the success of a nonprofit or government entity is its ability to adapt to the shifting needs of the community. Over the past 20 years, I’ve seen many changes in the nonprofit and government spheres, and successful organizations always adapt to meet these changing needs. My hope is that my experience with adaptability can be a real asset to ALLARM as we look to the future.
3. Can you share a few initiatives or projects you’ve launched or prioritized since you started? What motivated them?
We just recently submitted the last two years of the water-sampling data collected by volunteers to Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection. This data will be part of the state’s integrated report on stream quality. Submitting the information was a real priority for our team because it means the work of citizen scientists will be used by the state to make decisions regarding the health of our streams.
4. What’s your vision for ALLARM over the next 1–2 years? Any new strategic goals or directions?
The ALLARM team will be meeting in late 2025/early 2026 to begin a new strategic plan focused on what I’ve been referring to as the “3 Re’s.” We’ll reassess our current strategies and goals, refocus our efforts on the most critical priorities and reinvest in our community partners both on and off campus.
5. How have you been building relationships with the Dickinson community and local partners since starting in the role?
I enjoy meeting our partners face to face, so I’ve made it a point to meet and talk with our Dickinson community and volunteer monitoring communities whenever the opportunity arises. I love to share lunch or a cup of coffee with folks; it’s just a great way to get to know people both professionally and personally.
6. Given ALLARM’s work in monitoring local waterways, are there policy or advocacy priorities you see emerging?
In the past, there’s been a focus on policy/advocacy work at the national level with the Environmental Protection Agency. Given cutbacks in the federal government, I believe we need to focus our efforts at the local and state levels. ALLARM really shines by providing the science to back policy change at the local and regional levels. Helping local volunteers share their water-quality data stories and concerns with decision-makers is fundamental to ALLARM’s success.
7. How are you balancing ALLARM’s traditional monitoring work with evolving environmental challenges (e.g., shale-gas impacts, climate shifts)?
In many ways, the new challenges do not change the actual work; the science remains the same. The story of why we’re seeing the results we see and the impacts of humanity on the environment are always evolving, but helping folks obtain solid scientific data regarding their local waterways will always be the core of what we do.
8. What’s been most rewarding about working directly with the student team at ALLARM?
I’ve spent the last 5–6 years of my career focused on policy, outreach and administrative/fundraising efforts, and the shift to working with students again was very intentional—that’s what drew me to ALLARM. It’s easy to read environmental news articles today and be very discouraged about the future. But, when I work and speak with the next generation of scientists, activists, policymakers and communicators that come through the doors of ALLARM, I’m encouraged. When I see their enthusiasm, brilliance and steadfast approach to problem-solving, I’m much more confident that we can solve the problems facing our planet.
9. Can you describe any changes you’re making to mentorship or training programs for students and citizen scientists?
I hope we can convey to students that environmental nonprofit work requires staff with a variety of backgrounds. Many of the students that come and work with ALLARM have a strong science background, and we need them, but I’d like to see more students join us from other disciplines, like law/policy, communications and business management/finance. We’ll be inviting local environmental and conservation professionals to speak with students so they can learn about these career paths.
10. Reflecting on your first few months, what’s one lesson or insight you’ve gained about leading a long-established community science organization?
ALLARM is entering its 40th year at Dickinson. It didn’t take me long to recognize the history and legacy of the program and what that means to the staff and alumni who have been involved over the years. As the program’s leader, I’m continually trying to find a balance between honoring ALLARM’s past and ensuring that we’re pushing ahead with new ideas so that we can remain at the forefront of volunteer monitoring and professional development for students.
Read more from the fall 2025 issue of Dickinson Magazine.
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Published December 2, 2025