BIOS Appoints President and Director

HAMILTON, Bermuda, July 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- After a six-month international search, the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) is pleased to announce that Dr. William Curry has been selected as its new President and Director. It is anticipated that Dr. Curry will take up his role on or before September 1, 2012, subject to Bermuda Immigration Department approval. 

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Dr. Curry now serves as Director of the Ocean and Climate Change Institute and Senior Scientist in the Department of Geology and Geophysics at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.  Twice he has served as a program officer at the National Science Foundation in the Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences, and is an elected Fellow of the American Geophysical Union.  His research focuses on the history of climate and ocean circulation, particularly how changes in ocean circulation and chemistry affected the carbon cycle and ice age climate.

"I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to lead BIOS into new endeavors in ocean science research and education while reinforcing over a century of scientific exploration and innovation," said Dr. Curry.  "I look forward to working with BIOS scientists and educators to continue bringing the institution's work to the forefront of international scientific communities as well as the general public in Bermuda and beyond."

The Search Committee comprised BIOS scientific and private sector Trustees with support from the executive recruiting firm Korn/Ferry International. Brian Duperreault, Chairman of the BIOS Board of Trustees and CEO of Marsh & McLennan Companies, noted, "Dr. Curry's decades of leadership experience and expertise in ocean sciences combined with a commitment to promoting interdisciplinary research ensure a successful future for the BIOS team and mission."

Dr. James Galloway, Chairman of the Search Committee and Associate Dean for Sciences at the University of Virginia, agreed, praising the involvement of BIOS faculty and staff, saying, "I am pleased with the search process and feel confident that Dr. Curry will build on BIOS's achievements as a global leader in ocean science for human good."

BIOS is an independent marine science organization. It was founded in 1903 as the Bermuda Biological Station by scientists from Harvard and New York University to take advantage of Bermuda's ideal location for deep-ocean and coral reef research and education. BIOS was incorporated in New York in 1926 and is an U.S. 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and a Registered Bermuda Charity.

SOURCE Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences