Gills Talk

This week on Gills Talk, Kristen interviews Grace Casselberry. Grace is a PhD candidate at UMass Amherst. Her work integrates acoustic and satellite telemetry to improve our understanding of shark spatial ecology and predator-prey interactions. In Grace's interview, we learn about her current projects in St. Croix and the Florida Keys. We also talk about her recent experience watching white sharks...

This week on Gills Talk, Kristen interviews Dr. Molly Gabler-Smith. Molly is a functional morphologist interested in how animals use different tissues within and on their bodies for a certain function. She is currently at Harvard University for a postdoctoral fellowship studying shark skin. In Molly's interview, we learn about the importance of shark skin and how the United States government is us...

This week on Gills Talk, Kristen interviews Vicky Vasquez. Vicky is a shark biologist that is studying lost sharks. What is a lost shark? You'll have to listen to find out! We learn about how Vicky discovered a new species of shark and how much we can learn from museum curations. Kristen and Vicky also deep dive into a conversation about science communication, talking about its challenges and pay-...

This week on Gills Talk, Kristen interviews Dr. Brooke Flammang. Brooke is interested in the biomechanics of fish and how it makes them good swimmers. We learn how Dr. Flammang accidentally discovered shark muscle and how that altered her career path. We then dive into some of her current work which is creating tags that mimic remora fish biology.  You can follow Brooke on Twitter . Brooke's...

This week on Gills Talk, Kristen interviews Dr. Lisa Hoopes. Lisa is the Director of Research, Conservation, and Nutrition at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia. There she directs all aspects of clinical nutrition for the animal collection, ranging from the smallest of urchins to the largest of whale sharks. Her background is in marine biology, comparative physiology, and energetics. In Lisa...

This week on Gills Talk, Kristen interviews Jasmin Graham. Jasmin is the President & CEO of MISS, Minorities in Shark Sciences. MISS seeks to promote diversity and inclusion in shark science and encourage women of color to push through barriers and contribute knowledge in marine science. Jasmin specializes in elasmobranch ecology and evolution. Throughout her interview, Jasmin talks about her...

This week on Gills Talk, Kristen interviews Dr. Lisa Whitenack. Lisa is a biology professor at Allegheny College where she studies the biomechanics, paleobiology, and evolution of sharks, crabs, snails, salamanders, and bony fishes. We learn how a Panera bread baguette lead her to a hypothesis about a shark tooth that is 320 million years old! Lisa's advice is - it's ok to be weird, stick to love...

This week on Gills Talk, Kristen interviews Megan Winton. Megan is the Staff Scientist for the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. She specializes in quantitative fisheries biology, using statistical analyses to characterize the habitat use and population dynamics of white sharks off of Cape Cod, MA coastline. Megan talks about her favorite discovery so far and how her dog, Dusky, is an integral par...

This week on Gills Talk, Kristen interviews Rachel Scharer. Rachel is a biologist studying smalltooth sawfish for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. We learn the importance of studying this endangered species and who to contact if you see a sawfish in the wild. If you live in Florida, you can report a sawfish sighting by: E-mail: Sawfish@MyFWC.com Telephone: 844-472-9347 (1-844...

This week on Gills Talk, Kristen interviews Dr. Gail Schwieterman. Gail is a fish physiologist, where she is interested in understanding how anthropogenic stressors, such as climate change and capture, affect coastal fishes. We learn some of the challenges Gail faces as a scientist and a post-doc along with the satisfaction of an experiment working. Gail stresses that it is OK to take time off and...

This week on Gills Talk, Kristen interviews Dr. Kristine Stump. Kristine is a tropical marine ecologist specializing in sharks, grouper, and reef ecology. We learn how drawing on a napkin started Kristine's PHD research and her advice on learning how to code. Currently, a high school teacher, Kristine talks about how she involves her students with her current research to inspire the younger genera...

Our first episode! This week on Gills Talk, Kristen will be talking to Gills Club Co-Founder, Marianne Long. Marianne is the Education Director at the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. Marianne talks about the origins of the Gills Club, her interests in sharks, and our oceans, and her advice on how you can be involved in shark and ocean conservation. Thank you all for listening!  Follow us on...

Welcome to Gills Talk! Gills Talk is a podcast that will introduce you to women working in shark and ocean science through interviews. Gills Talk is a branch of the Gills Club. With the motto “Smart About Sharks,” the Gills Club fosters positive attitudes towards sharks and jump-start youths’ interest in STEM subjects, boosting their chances of entering careers in science. The Gills Club is&n...