Halmos Graduate Student

In early November, Halmos College marine biology master’s student Jessica Schieber travelled participated in the 20th Anniversary Great White Shark Expedition in Guadalupe Island, Mexico. There the group used shark cages submersibles to view and take identification photos of the sharks. In the first day they saw 16 different white sharks, three of them that had never been photo-identified.

Ms. Schieber was one of two winners of the female student research opportunity funded by the host: Marine Conservation Science Institute (MarineCSI). Applicants for the trip needed to demonstrate understanding MarineCSI’s research techniques and how this trip would propel her career forward. MarineCSI offered this opportunity because “we feel women are under-represented in shark research. How many women in leading scientific roles have you seen on Shark Week or Shark Fest?”

Ms. Schieber is conducting her thesis research on the age and growth of yellow stingray with Halmos College faculty member David Kerstetter, Ph.D.

The Marine Conservation Science Institute (MCSI) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded on the belief that focused research can make a difference in how we view and manage our marine resources.  MCSI is committed to promoting important issues in marine biology and fisheries and is currently involved in research projects around the globe dedicated to protecting and conserving marine resources.