Bigelow Laboratory names three new Trustees

Members bring expertise, knowledge, and passion to the Board

East Boothbay, Maine - Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences Tuesday announced three new members have joined the Laboratory’s Board of Trustees—former president and CEO of the Consortium of Ocean Leadership Robert Gagosian, founder and chair of Women Working for Oceans Barbara Burgess, and chair emeritus of the New England Aquarium, R. William Burgess, Jr.

“Each of our new trustees has run a large ocean-related organization so they bring with them an inherent understanding and appreciation of the importance of the research being done here at the Laboratory, plus a passion for ocean science discovery, “ says Graham Shimmield, executive director of Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences. “We couldn’t be more delighted to have Bob, Barbara, and Bill join our Board and offer their considerable individual and collective expertise to help guide this organization in the years ahead.”

Robert Gagosian served as the first president/CEO of the Consortium of Ocean Leadership. He led
this organization that helps shape national ocean policy and research priorities from November 2007 - February 2015.  Prior to Ocean Leadership, he served as director of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution between 1994-2006. Gagosian oversaw major research and education programs at both institutions, where he holds President Emeritus appointments.  Gagosian is also a distinguished marine geochemist, whose research has contributed significantly to our understanding of the importance of the atmosphere in transporting organic material from land to the open ocean. He received his SB from MIT and his PhD from Columbia University.



Barbara Burgess transformed her passion for the ocean into a successful organization that promotes healthy and sustainable oceans through education, advocacy, and action. Burgess co-founded and chairs Women Working for Oceans (W2O), in partnership with the New England Aquarium. She also serves on the Board of Trustees

or the New England Aquarium. Burgess’s interest in the ocean began as a child, racing boats in the Midwest and later sailing the islands of Maine with her father. She has worked as a deckhand aboard a schooner and taught about the value of the ocean at the Mystic Seaport Maritime Museum and Mystic Aquarium.  She attended the Williams College Mystic Seaport Maritime Studies Program and graduated from the University of Vermont with a BS in Education and Environmental Studies.



Bill Burgess is a partner at North Bridge Ventures, where he works closely with emerging growth technology companies as an investor and advisor. He has 30 years of experience in venture capital and corporate finance. Burgess is chair emeritus of the Board of Directors of the New England Aquarium. Under his leadership, the Aquarium succeeded in completing a major renovation of its Giant Ocean Tank, renewal of its main building, and replenishment of its financial reserves.  Burgess serves as chair of the Board for St. Mark’s School and also serves as trustee of Dartmouth College, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and Issue One.  He received his BA from Dartmouth College and MBA from Harvard Business School.



Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, an independent not-for-profit research institution on the coast of Maine, conducts research ranging from microbial oceanography to large-scale ocean processes that affect the global environment. Recognized as a leader in Maine’s emerging innovation economy, the Laboratory’s research, education, and technology transfer programs are spurring significant economic growth in the state.