James Bellingham
Johns Hopkins University
Executive Director, Johns Hopkins Institute for Assured Autonomy
Dr. Bellingham is a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Exploration Robotics and Executive Director for the Institute for Assured Autonomy at Johns Hopkins University. He is a pioneer in the development, operation, and commercialization of autonomous marine robots, with a track record of leading research expeditions around the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Jim's research activities span from fundamental research on marine autonomy to at-sea operations in harsh environments. He spearheaded the development of small, high-performance Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), resulting in a class of systems now widely used within the military, industry, and scientific communities. Jim has extensive experience with early-stage technology ventures. He was the founding Director of the Center of Marine Robotics at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, co-founder of Bluefin Robotics, and founder of the Autonomous Underwater Vehicles Laboratory at MIT. He also served as Director of Engineering and Chief Technologist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. Jim's leadership extends to his roles on the Board of Directors of Nauticus Robotics and Innovasea Systems. He has served on high-impact advisory committees, including Chairing the Naval Research Advisory Committee, serving on the Secretary of the Navy Advisory Panel, and various international advisory committees. He is also highly active in marine technology entrepreneurship, mentoring startups, and founding community building events such as the Marine Robotics Entrepreneurs Forum. As a member of the National Academy of Engineering, Jim has received numerous awards for his contributions, including the Lockheed Martin Award and the Department of the Navy Superior Public Service Award. He earned his S.B. and Ph.D. in physics from MIT.
