University of Miami Alumni Team Up to Study Sharks

Shark Research Shark Research

Researchers, scientists and photographers from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences bring expertise to Discovery Channel’s Shark Week.

In addition to Shark guru, professor and alumnus Neil Hammerschlag, Ph.D. ’10, making numerous appearances on Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, Hammerschlag is joined by fellow alumni, all part of the University of Miami Shark Research and Conservation Program, in sharing unsurpassed research techniques, developing tracking technologies and documenting it all. The team brings the highly scientific and important research to the surface for us all to experience.

Austin Gallagher, Ph.D.'15 spent the day on the water in the opening night of Shark Week, accompanying Shaq, and sharing wisdom to help Shaq overcome his fear of Sharks. 

In a collaboration with OCEANA, Neil and his former student Austin Gallagher, developed a highly sophisticated mapping system to track sharks.

Josh Liberman, B.S. '17, spends most of his time diving into Shark research with the team, only Josh documents the tracking expeditions with award winning photography, bringing each moment and step in the highly strategic and scientific process, front and center for us all to see. The synergistic education component of the exhilarating research and translating it for the public is, according to Liberman, “one of the most important steps in the research. Helping everyone understand that we need to protect our oceans and the creatures within it.”

Stephen Cain, M.P.S. '16 is the Lab and Operations Manager for the Shark Research and Conservation program. Stephen coordinates and oversees the intricacies of the research trips, including strategy and planning and was recently the recipient of the M.P.S. award for excellence in ocean stewardship.