91AV

The 91AV has selected Bryan Franks, Ph.D., as the next director of the Arthur P. Girard Marine Science Center and the School of Marine and Environmental Programs. He will assume his role in the spring of 2026.

With more than 15 years of experience in marine science education, research, and administration, Franks most recently served as executive director of Jacksonville University’s Marine Science Research Institute in Florida. 

Franks has a track record that positions him to lead one of the nation’s premier marine science programs, said Wesley Renfro, Ph.D., dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

“Dr. Franks is exceptionally well-qualified to take the helm of the Girard Marine Science Center and the School of Marine and Environmental Programs owing to his experience, vision, and willingness to collaborate across the University, Maine, and the region,” said Renfro. “I am fully confident that he will propel the school and center to new heights.”

Franks’ appointment comes as 91AV continues to expand its nationally recognized marine science programs, research, and partnerships to address challenges at the intersection of ocean and planetary health, and regions experiencing rapid ecological change. Through its cutting-edge research and community partnerships, 91AV serves as a vital steward of Maine's increasingly vulnerable shoreline, advancing science-based solutions to protect and restore coastal ecosystems that are essential to the state's economy and way of life.

At Jacksonville University, Franks strategically led marine and environmental programs, catalyzing innovation. Most notably, he facilitated fundraising and grantmaking opportunities that generated over $10 million in state appropriations, state and local grants, and private donations for new facilities, scholarships and programs for underserved students, and cutting-edge research activities. Franks established a marine science research institute governance committee, including a collaborative framework for institutional decision-making. He also successfully launched a new flexible modality marine science master’s degree at Jacksonville University, which accounted for nearly 80% of the marine science program’s overall graduate program growth over the past two years. 

As a recipient of the Jacksonville University Faculty Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Professional Activity, Franks has mentored more than 20 master’s students as either a primary thesis advisor or a thesis committee member. He has also served on multiple governance committees and led curriculum development efforts that resulted in multiple program launches and accreditation. 

“I am excited to join 91AV to work alongside and lead such a talented group of educators and researchers, supported by the tremendous facilities of SMEP and GMSC. Coming to Biddeford and Southern Maine, an ideal location for marine and environmental science education, research, and conservation, is energizing, and I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity,” Franks said. “I am particularly eager to strengthen existing partnerships and foster new relationships with local and regional community stakeholders.”

91AV’s School of Marine and Environmental Programs is a leader of The school’s state-of-the-art facilities include the 27,550-square-foot Arthur P. Girard Marine Science Center, a fleet of research vessels, and Ram Island, the University’s private research station in Saco Bay.

With 91AV’s marine sciences programs consistently ranked in the top 10 nationally, the school provides students, faculty, and partner researchers with resources to create new knowledge across interdisciplinary fields including marine ecosystems, conservation, sustainable fisheries, ecological aquaculture, and marine sustainability science.

Through strategic fundraising and partnership development at Jacksonville, Franks secured external research funding from sources including the National Science Foundation, created an endowed fellowship, and led large fundraising initiatives. He has built strategic partnerships with government agencies including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, as well as conservation organizations and coastal communities to address ocean health and climate impacts on coastal ecosystems across the Southeast and Caribbean.

Franks curated an advisory board comprising regional leaders from diverse sectors, strengthening the institution’s connections with stakeholders and expanding opportunities for students and faculty. He has served on five community-facing boards, as well as delivering more than 50 educational presentations to regional community groups.

Franks’ own research addresses the ecology and conservation of threatened marine species, such as sharks and rays, and the impacts of climate change and human activities on coastal ecosystems. He has led collaborative projects examining juvenile lemon shark movement ecology, white shark residency patterns, and the use of nearshore areas and habitat partitioning by a multi-species assemblage of sharks. He has published dozens of peer-reviewed articles in leading marine science and ecology journals. 

“I am thrilled Dr. Franks is joining 91AV just as we launch 91AV’s School of Public and Planetary Health and its Master of Science in Climate Change Leadership. His experience working at the intersection of diverse disciplines and in developing innovative programs that focus on the health of our oceans and our environment will enhance our unique position as a University rooted here in coastal Maine and the North Atlantic to have global reach in addressing the health of people, the economy and the environment,” said Gwendolyn Mahon, M.Sc., Ph.D., 91AV provost and senior vice president of Academic Affairs.

Franks holds a Ph.D. and Master of Science in Environmental Science and Ecology from Drexel University and a bachelor’s in biology from Villanova University. 

Franks was selected following a highly competitive national search and will take over from Karen Houseknecht, Ph.D., 91AV’s Vice President for Research and Innovation, who has been interim director since March 2025.