Rate My Professor James Bell

Professor James Bell is a Professor of Marine Biology in the School of Biological Sciences at Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington. He is a marine ecologist whose research focuses on the ecology of sponges and temperate mesophotic ecosystems. Professor Bell completed a PhD in Zoology at University College Cork, Ireland, in 2001. He subsequently worked as a Lecturer at the University of Glamorgan and the University of Reading in the United Kingdom before joining Victoria University of Wellington in 2006 as a Senior Lecturer in Marine Biology. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2014 and to Professor in 2019. He serves as director of the Master of Marine Conservation programme and as programme director of all Marine Biology programmes at the university. In 2025, he received the New Zealand Mana Tūārangi Distinguished Researcher Fellowship in recognition of his international reputation in marine ecology. Professor Bell has authored more than 166 peer-reviewed articles, including highly cited reviews on sponge and mesophotic ecology, and has secured more than $14.5 million in external research funding. His work informs policy on the management of marine ecosystems and includes regular engagement with media and the public.