Norwalk's Maritime Aquarium Gets a New President

Brian Davis, a vice president for education and training at the Georgia Aquarium, on Dec. 28 will succeed Jennifer Herring as Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, who has had the post for 10 years.

Here’s the aquarium’s news release on the change in command, followed by a description of Davis, also released Tuesday by the aquarium:

The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk elected a new president, Dr. Brian L. Davis, at a special Board of Trustees meeting Nov. 10.

Dr. Davis joins The Maritime Aquarium from the Georgia Aquarium, where he is currently vice president of education and training and a member of the executive team reporting to the executive director. In that capacity, he has been involved in the operations and strategy of one of the world’s largest aquariums.

He will join The Maritime Aquarium on Dec. 28, succeeding Jennifer Herring, who served as the Aquarium’s president for 10 years. She previously announced her plan to retire at the end of 2014.

At Georgia Aquarium since 2003, Dr. Davis developed educational programs for students at all academic levels, aquarium guests and employees. Working with local universities, he incorporated training at informal educational institutions as part of teacher preparation.

Dr. Davis was the eighth team member to join the Georgia Aquarium and was integral in the Aquarium’s design and the development of its guest experience at what was then the world’s largest aquarium.

A strong proponent of scientific literacy, he created aquarium programs connecting the importance of science and cultural enrichment to people’s daily lives.

Davis earned a doctorate of philosophy in secondary science education (teaching and learning) and a master’s of education degree in secondary science education from Georgia State University. He earned his bachelor’s of science degree in environmental science from Rutgers University.

In addition to the Georgia Aquarium, Dr. Davis was an educator at the New York Aquarium, program and education marketing coordinator at Zoo Atlanta, and a science teacher and administrator in the Georgia school system.

Dr. Davis said he is passionate about helping people understand what they can do, on a day-to-day basis, to help preserve the world’s aquatic ecosystems.

“What can we do to get aquarium visitors and students to experience the aquatic realm?” he said. “When they connect on a personal level, and understand the importance of our oceans to their lives, people will actively help preserve our aquatic biomes. The Maritime Aquarium sits on Long Island Sound, a conduit to the oceans of the world. I don’t think there’s a better place on the planet to tell this story.”

Georgia Aquarium is five-hour drive from the ocean, Dr. Davis said, adding, “Many Atlanta kids have never put their toes in the sand.”

One of the current programs he developed for the Georgia Aquarium takes teachers on a five-day journey, starting at the headwaters of a river and following it all the way to the ocean. “It is a life-changing experience for teachers,” he said.

Originally from Roselle, N.J., Dr. Davis said he is looking forward to coming back to the Northeast. His love of the ocean was developed in summers at Wildwood and Wildwood Crest beaches with his family.

Youngest of four boys, he joked, “I had to fight my way into the ocean, and sometimes fight my way back out.” On a more serious note, he said, “My career has been a forum for me to explore the ocean.”

Herring, the Aquarium’s retiring president, said, “Choosing Dr. Davis highlights one of our aquarium’s primary strengths. The Maritime Aquarium’s educational programs bring science alive for 125,000 students a year. They connect students with living nature, help close the achievement gap in Connecticut schools, and inspire students to pursue science careers.”

Rob Rohn, Maritime Aquarium Board Chairman, said, “Dr. Davis’ educational expertise, administrative experience at one of the world’s largest aquariums and his passion for our mission will help our aquarium flourish as a resource for preserving Long Island Sound and the oceans beyond.”

The selection process for a new president began earlier this year after Herring announced her plans to retire. The global executive-recruiting firm of Korn Ferry was selected to help a special committee of Aquarium board members with the search.

Davis will be the seventh president in the 26-year history of The Maritime Aquarium.

Herring became president in August 2004, making her the Aquarium’s longest-serving top administrator. Under her leadership, the Aquarium steered through a significant national economic downturn and spearheaded an $18 million campaign to fund renovation of the entire exhibit experience, three major new exhibits, five changing exhibits and a new boat, the country’s only research vessel with hybrid-electric propulsion, due to begin service next month.

She also led the arduous and detailed process earning prestigious accreditation from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA).

About the Maritime Aquarium

The Maritime Aquarium is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to educate visitors about – and to create stewards for – Long Island Sound. It accomplishes this by allowing visitors to get close to more than 250 species native to the Sound and its watershed, including sharks, seals, sea turtles, river otters, jellyfish and other animals. One of the top places for family fun in Connecticut, the Aquarium also features hands-on educational programs and displays, public study cruises out onto the Sound, and Connecticut’s largest IMAX movie theater, with a screen that’s six stories high.

About Brian Davis

Scientist. Educator. Administrator. Dr. Brian Davis nurtures a lifelong love of the ocean. A New Jersey native, Dr. Davis has fond memories of enjoying family vacations at the shore, where his passion for the ocean was ignited. The youngest of four boys, he joked, “I had to fight my way into the ocean, and sometimes fight my way back out.” On a more serious note, he said, “My career has been a forum for me to explore the ocean.”

Dr. Davis joins The Maritime Aquarium from the Georgia Aquarium, where he is currently Vice President of Education and Training and a member of the executive team reporting to the Executive Director. In that capacity, he has been involved in the operations and strategy of one of the world’s largest aquariums. Dr. Davis was the eighth team member to join the Georgia Aquarium and was integral in the Aquarium’s design and the development of the guest experience for what was the world’s largest aquarium at the time.

Graduating from Rutgers University in 1992 with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Environmental Science, Dr. Davis began his career at the New York Aquarium as an educator in 1992. Several years later, he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, where he joined the Education Department at Zoo Atlanta. While at the zoo, he worked to bring education programs into alignment with state and national curriculum standards, directed advertising to achieve the revenue goals for the department, and designed and implemented science-related professional development programs for grades K-12.

He later earned his Master’s of Education degree in Secondary Science Education from Georgia State University. As a graduate student, he created a student/teacher curriculum for – and organized local implementation of – GenScope, a computer-based genetics program for high school students.

After earning his Master’s degree, Dr. Davis joined the formal realm of education as a science teacher in Georgia’s Cobb County school district. As a first-year teacher, Dr. Davis was the recipient of the Sallie Mae Outstanding First-Year Teacher Award in 1998. He soon became Director of the high school magnet program for Advanced Mathematics and Science Academy at Kennesaw Mountain High School. In that position, Dr. Davis developed a rigorous academic program to ensure students were adequately prepared for postsecondary pursuits in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This required fostering and maintaining collaborative partnerships with businesses, universities and technical institutions.

In 2003, Dr. Davis was invited to join the Georgia Aquarium team as the Director of Education. In his role, he created educational content, designed the education level, served as an Aquarium spokesperson and launched all education programs. He eventually returned to Cobb County’s school system, serving as an Assistant Principal/Magnet Coordinator while completing his Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Secondary Science Education (Teaching and Learning) at Georgia State University.

He returned to the Georgia Aquarium in 2010 as Vice President of Education and Training, serving as a member of the senior executive team. He represented the organization as spokesperson at community meetings and professional conferences, as well as served on a variety of national and local boards. He was responsible for building and maintaining working relationships and partnerships with educational institutions throughout the state. He played an integral role in the strategic initiatives of the organization, long-term strategic planning and charting the course for the overall direction of the facility. These experiences will serve him well as he joins The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk team.

A strong proponent of scientific literacy, Dr. Davis has created aquarium programs connecting the importance of science and cultural enrichment to people’s daily lives.

Dr. Davis has published papers on science and aquarium education. He is a member of the National Science Teachers Association, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Dr. Davis and his wife, Dr. Andrea Davis, have three college-aged children.