Bill Bigelow MSc

Bill is an environmental scientist and educator whose work has focused on applied research, experiential education and coastal conservation throughout Florida and the Caribbean. Bill began his career in The Bahamas, working in research and education on the island of Eleuthera, where he developed a lasting interest in field-based science and its ability to connect people with the coastal environments around them. These early experiences also led to his involvement with the Centre for Ocean Research and Education (CORE), of which he has been a part since its founding.
 

Bill’s research has focused primarily on crustacean ecology, fisheries and the relationship between coastal species and the communities that depend upon them. His graduate research at Memorial University examined the ecology, fishery and management of the Caribbean black land crab (Gecarcinus ruricola) in The Bahamas. He later continued this work in the Florida Keys, contributing to fisheries research and long-term ecological monitoring of Caribbean spiny lobster with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
 

Alongside his research, Bill has maintained a strong commitment to experiential education. As resident faculty with the School for Field Studies in the Turks and Caicos Islands, he taught and mentored students in marine science and conservation, guiding students through the process of developing research questions, collecting and interpreting ecological data and communicating their findings. These experiences helped shape his belief that science has its greatest impact when researchers, students, resource managers and communities are active participants in the process.