Investing in Bermuda's Future: Bermuda Program Marks 50 Years of Opportunity and Impact

ASU BIOS celebrates 50 years of the Bermuda Program, supporting the next generation of Bermudian scientists with over 300 research internships since 1976

For five decades, the Bermuda Program at ASU BIOS has helped shape Bermuda's scientific future, empowering students to become researchers, educators, conservation leaders and changemakers.

What began in 1976 as a small internship initiative has grown into one of Bermuda's most enduring investments in local talent, supporting more than 320 research placements and inspiring generations of scientific leaders.

“For 50 years, the Bermuda Program has created opportunities for local students to gain meaningful research experience, build professional skills, and explore where those experiences might take them next on their journey. Over the past 20 years alone, more than $750,000 has been awarded directly to students through stipends, made possible through the generous support of local companies, foundations, and individual donors. That sustained investment speaks not only to the longevity of the program, but to our community’s commitment to investing in Bermuda’s next generation,” said Kaitlin Noyes, Director of Education and Community Engagement at ASU BIOS.

Today, alumni of the program lead research laboratories, guide environmental policy, mentor future scientists and contribute to organizations across Bermuda and around the world.  

One of the program's earliest success stories is Robbie Smith, a member of the second Bermuda Program cohort in 1977. For Smith, this student research opportunity evolved into a lifelong commitment to Bermuda's scientific community. He later joined ASU BIOS, leading the Benthic Ecology Research Program from 1991 to 2003 and becoming adjunct faculty in 2012. Today, he serves as Senior Curator at the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo. Over the years, Robbie has mentored over 10 Bermuda Program participants, inspiring the next generation of fish ecologists as others once inspired him.

“It’s been rewarding to watch the Bermuda Program grow from a small initiative at BBSR (Bermuda Biological Station for Research) into a capstone of marine science training in Bermuda. Having had the opportunity to mentor many of its students over the years, I’ve seen first-hand how experiences like these can shape careers, build confidence, and strengthen our island’s scientific community. I hope that future generations of budding young scientists continue to benefit from support for their spirit of curiosity, collaboration, and discovery that has defined the Bermuda Program for the past 50 years. It certainly had a significant impact on me!” said Smith.

Over the past five decades, countless Bermudian students have discovered their passion for research through the Bermuda Program, developing the skills, confidence and professional networks that have helped shape successful careers both on the island and abroad.

Many of the program's alumni have also become leaders within ASU BIOS. Today, former Bermuda Program interns at ASU BIOS include Mark Guishard, Chief Operating Officer; Rachel Parsons, Microbial Ecology Laboratory Research Specialist; Claire Fox, Science Education Officer; Jessica Godfrey, Research Technician and Laboratory Operations Coordinator; and Laboratory Operations Co-Coordinator Shane Antonition.  

This summer, these alumni continue the tradition by mentoring the next generation of Bermudian scientists through hands-on research spanning from marine fungi and nanoplastics to coral reef ecology, underwater technologies and hurricane dynamics.

“For me, interning at ASU BIOS was a turning point in deciding to pursue a career in marine science, specifically in education,” said Science Education Officer Claire Fox, former Bermuda Program intern (2010, 2011, 2016) and current manager of the program. “Now in this role, I get to provide similar opportunities for the next generation of Bermudian scientists, including this year's cohort of 10 young researchers with a diverse array of interests and backgrounds.”

For 2026 participant Charlotte Slayton, the internship confirmed her desire to pursue a graduate degree. “This experience has taught me that I enjoy the process of scientific research just as much as I enjoy learning more about one specific species or group of animals. I am now more confident that I want to apply for a master's program to continue researching ecology,” she said. 

As Bermuda faces increasingly complex environmental challenges, programs that connect young people with meaningful scientific opportunities have never been more important.

For five decades the program has demonstrated the transformative power of opportunity. As the Bermuda Program enters its next 50 years, its legacy will not be measured solely by the discoveries made in its laboratories or the papers published, but by the generations of Bermudians it has inspired to ask questions and become stewards of the marine environment.

To learn more about the Bermuda Program, visit the program page.