Kathleen H. Lavoie

Kathleen Hoey Lavoie (September 28, 1949 – May 23, 2022) was an American microbiologist and explorer who was Professor of Biological Sciences at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh. Lavoie was a Fellow of the National Speleological Society and the Cave Research Foundation. She was a specialist in biospeleology, and, in particular, the Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky.

Early life and education Lavoie graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 1972 with a degree in microbiology and earned a master's degree in microbiology from Indiana University in 1976. and earned her doctorate in biological sciences in 1982.

Lavoie was an expert and a fan of bats. According to the State University of New York, the shelves in her office were full of stuffed animal versions of bats. The Cueva de Villa Luz is rich in hydrogen sulfide and smells of rotten eggs. Lavoie appeared in the 2004 National Geographic television program Amazing Caves.

Lavoie stepped down as Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at SUNY Plattsburgh in 2012.

Personal life Lavoie died in May 2022 after attending an orchestra recital in Peru, New York.

Selected publications