More than 250 supporters, community leaders, and scientists gathered at Bigelow Laboratory in East Boothbay, Maine, on June 26 to celebrate the grand opening of the Harold Alfond Center for Ocean Education and Innovation. The event provided a fitting close to the yearlong celebration of Bigelow Laboratory’s 50th anniversary and an exciting preview of the bold ambition that will guide the institute into the future.   

“What we’re celebrating today is the work our scientists will do when they walk into this beautiful new center,” said President and CEO Deborah Bronk, “This laboratory is filled with the most amazing, devoted, fun, and brilliant people you will ever come across, and I’m just so pleased that they will have this new resource to do great things for the state of Maine and for the world.”    

Speeches took place in the Burgess Forum, a multi-purpose, versatile gathering space with seating for up to 300 people that will serve as a destination for scientific collaboration and a hub for community outreach. The forum, named for a key supporter who helped make the construction possible, is the centerpiece of the expansion, which also includes dedicated teaching labs and classrooms, high-tech laboratories, and expanded space for office, meetings, and outdoor gatherings.   

Together, these spaces will revolutionize the institute’s education and solutions-focused work by increasing capacity for education and professional development programs, enabling more applied research, and creating new opportunities and partnerships for blue economy innovation.  

Peter Handy, chair of Bigelow Laboratory’s Board of Directors and president and CEO of Bristol Seafood, opened the ceremony.

“Bigelow is a rare gem, not just in Maine, but nationally,” Handy said. “We're not just keeping pace with the future. We're helping to shape it.” 

Construction began with a groundbreaking ceremony in October 2023 that brought together the community and government leaders who made the project possible — including Gov. Janet Mills and members of Maine’s congressional delegation, who have been unwavering in their support for Bigelow Laboratory and the state’s life sciences sector. 

U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King, along with U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, were instrumental in securing federal funding for the new center. Each sent short video messages from Washington to mark the occasion. 

“I can't think of anything more important for Maine than a center dedicated to education, research and innovation,” King said. 

Sen. Collins noted that the center's work “benefits those employed in Maine's fishing and tourism sectors, assists our entrepreneurs in developing new technologies, and supports our coastal communities.” 

“That work has never been more vital than it is at this moment,” said Rep. Pingree. “Whether it's continuing cutting-edge research in marine microbiology, better understanding the effects of ocean acidification, leading the way in the development of blue biotechnologies, or training the next generation of ocean scientists.” 

The 25,000-square-foot expansion represents a 40% increase in Bigelow Laboratory’s footprint at its East Boothbay campus. The $33 million project, which includes a $2 million endowment for ongoing maintenance, was made possible by an $8 million gift from the Harold Alfond Foundation, $13 million in additional philanthropic support, and $12 million in federal funding through the National Institute of Standards and Technology 2023 Construction Grant Program.

Last month, the institute announced the official name of the new center in honor of Harold Alfond to recognize the support of the Harold Alfond Foundation. Greg Powell, chairman of the Alfond Foundation and CEO and president of Dexter Enterprises, closed out the list of speakers during the event.  

“Our future, our leadership in the world, depends upon science — and the science of our oceans and environment could not be more important,” Powell said. “This wing is more than a building. It's a bold investment in the future.”   

Other speakers at the grand opening celebration included; Bob Healing, member of Bigelow Laboratory’s Advisory Board; Beth Orcutt and Ben Twining, senior research scientists and vice presidents, respectively, for research and education; Denise Bruesewitz, provost-designate and professor of environmental studies at Colby College, one of Bigelow Laboratory’s most important academic partner institutions; and Shane Farrell, a joint Bigelow Laboratory and University of Maine PhD student who was central to the collaborative, cutting-edge Maine-eDNA project that the institute helped lead.   

Following remarks in the forum, guests were invited to join for a reception that included tours of the new facilities in the Alfond Center. Catering for the reception was supplied by the East Boothbay General Store while Melody Lindsay, a Bigelow Laboratory senior research scientist and accomplished harpist, provided music during the reception.  

“The reason people come into this building every day is to understand the ocean, protect it, and teach the next generation about it,” Bronk said. “And to use the ocean in sustainable ways that can heal it, support the economy, and improve the future for all life on our planet.”