David Niebuhr

Background

Dr. David H. Niebuhr is the Executive Director of the Watermen’s Museum. He earned his Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science in 1999. Prior to his current position, Dr. Niebuhr was the Vice President of the Education Division at Mote Marine Laboratory. He has experience as an Assistant Professor of Science Education at the College of William and Mary where he taught undergraduate and graduate courses in science teaching methods to elementary and secondary level pre-service teachers. Dr. Niebuhr's museum experience includes more than 20 years experience at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. He has a broad background as an educator having worked as a high school teacher, a college professor, and as a field-based educator.

Dr. Niebuhr is known for his enthusiastic and engaging style with his students and subject matter. Dr. Niebuhr was one of the architects of the NOAA NERRS Coastal Training Initiative, resulting in a doubling of Federal appropriation for the NERRS program. His reputation as a teacher led him to be selected to develop and teach science education programs as part of a joint US-China program sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Dr. Niebuhr is a physical biologist and biochemist whose work in curriculum development has received national recognition, including an internet-based project with WHRO Telecommunications that was featured in the Corporation for Public Broadcasting Annual Report. He has led several curriculum development projects for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has authored several chapters of introductory science textbooks, and currently serves as the Chair of the Editorial Board for Current: The Journal of Marine Education.