“Shark Heart” in Real Life – The Science of Studying Sharks

Learn about sharks and current research with Dr. Alexandra McInturf.

Sharks play a critical role in maintaining vibrant ecosystems in Oregon and around the world. Yet, considered “dangerous” by popular media and threatened by human activity worldwide, these organisms have faced global population declines. Dr. Alexandra McInturf has been studying shark species worldwide for the last decade, including those among the most vulnerable. As an animal behaviorist, she researches some of the most understudied components of these organisms, including their social behavior. In this presentation, she will introduce some of the key characteristics of sharks (what makes a shark, a shark), talk about shark diversity, and finally discuss some of the projects she and other researchers are undertaking on different species (including white sharks) in the Big Fish Lab at Oregon State University.