Sea Secrets Lecture Series Catherine Macdonald, Ph.D.

This lecture will have a complimentary reception at SALT Waterfront Restaurant on the Rosenstiel Campus, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The lecture will begin promptly at 7:00 p.m. in the Rosenstiel auditorium. Seating is first come, first served as space is limited.

All lectures are also being offered virtually via Zoom. at 7:00 p.m. on the day of the lecture to watch.

Lecture title: Biology, Ecology, and Conservation of Sharks and Rays In South Florida

This talk will describe recent research conducted by the Shark Research and Conservation Program at the Rosenstiel School. It will begin by discussing public perceptions and attitudes toward sharks and marine conservation, including multiple stake holder groups and research methods. It will also present research exploring the physiological effects of recreational fishing on sharks, with a case study on nurse sharks that includes evaluating the potential effects of anthropogenic climate change on capture stress response and recovery. Finally, findings related to long-term monitoring of a multi-species shark nursery off the coast of Miami will be discussed, including sharing insights from deployment of ten-year acoustic tags on Critically Endangered juvenile great hammerheads.

Dr. Catherine Macdonald is an interdisciplinary marine conservation ecologist, and Assistant Research Professor at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science. Her work broadly focuses on marine biology and ecology across scales, human-wildlife conflict, and wildlife tourism. Dr. Macdonald is the Director of Rosenstiel’s Shark Research and Conservation Program (SRC), which offers more than 50 hands-on shark tagging field trips per year to middle and high school students in South Florida, giving students the opportunity to learn about science and the species in their backyard. She is also one of the co-founders of Field School, which teaches students marine science field work skills in a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment.

Host or Publisher University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science