James Bellingham

James G. Bellingham is a pioneer in the development of autonomous marine robots. He has led and participated in research expeditions around the world from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Jim is the founding Director of the Center of Marine Robotics at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), founded the Autonomous Underwater Vehicles Laboratory at MIT (1988), and co-founded Bluefin Robotics (1997). He was Director of Engineering and Chief Technologist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) before coming to Woods Hole.

Dr. Bellingham has a particular interest in marine robotics entrepreneurship, working with startups in a range of capacities and hosting community building events such as the Marine Robotics Entrepreneurs Forum. Jim serves on numerous advisory committees and boards. He Chairs the Naval Research Advisory Committee and serves on the Naval Studies Board and has been on numerous National Academies studies. Jim’s awards include the Lockheed Martin Award for Ocean Science and Engineering, and the MIT Fourteenth Robert Bruce Wallace lecturer.