NJIT Student's Nonprofit Helps Diverse Voices Dive Into Shark Science
July’s annual Shark Week and SharkFest have become can’t-miss TV events for nature lovers, but for NJIT Ph.D. student Amani Webber-Schultz, getting up-close-and-personal with the ocean’s most famous apex predators is not just a year-round occupation — it’s a vehicle for social change.
Webber-Schultz is one of four co-founders of the nonprofit Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS), which is driving diversity in the field of marine science and is fully funding hands-on research experiences for gender minorities of color who want to pursue shark research for a career.
For many, the opportunity can be a game-changer.
“We wanted to make the experience of being a person of color in a marine science field feel more comfortable, because it wasn’t always comfortable for us before we started MISS,” said Webber-Schultz, MISS CFO, who arrived at NJIT’s FluidLoco Lab as a Ph.D. biology student to research shark biomechanics and scale morphology in fall 2020.
“Getting field experience in the marine sciences is very much pay-to-play, and it’s very expensive to get your foot in the door. We’re building a community for people, and part of our goal is making these vital experiences accessible by removing financial barriers. ... Money shouldn’t be the reason someone can’t study sharks for a living.”
Webber-Schultz says she began to find community on Twitter amid the shift to virtual life and civil unrest in spring 2020, when she began posting in reaction to the May 25th Central Park birdwatching incident, via the #BlackInNature hashtag created as part of #BlackBirdersWeek.
Things took off when she met three other up-and-coming black female marine biologists — Jasmin Graham, Jaida Elcock and Carlee Jackson.
“At that time I was feeling lost and unable to do something, while also reflecting on my undergrad experience in terms of being the only black female marine scientist in most of my classes,” said Webber-Schultz. “When the Central Park incident happened, I started sharing my experiences on Twitter and we all just found each other.
“None of us had met another black shark scientist before, so we kind of jokingly said to each other that we should start a club.”
In just two weeks, that “club” snowballed into a registered 501 (c)(3), made official on Juneteenth.
Left to right: Jaida Elcock (University of Washington), Jasmin Graham (Mote Marine Lab), Carlee Jackson (Nova Southeastern University) and Amani Webber-Schultz. Credit: Cliff Hawkins
MISS raised $15,000 in its first two weeks, largely from individual donors, which initially funded all-expenses-paid weekend workshops for two small cohorts that summer in Miami through a partnership with the Field School Foundation.
Two years on, MISS has grown to over 400 members from more than 30 countries, and has expanded field research opportunities in Tampa, the Bahamas, South Africa and soon, California, through a collaboration with the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
The organization has raised nearly $250,000 more in small donations since launching to accommodate the overwhelming interest from aspiring researchers seeking to dive into the world of shark science, where a few days of introductory field training aboard a research vessel might otherwise cost thousands of dollars per-person.
During spring and summer, Webber-Schultz joins MISS in Miami to give students knowledge and skills in shark biology and ecology, shark handling and workup procedures, and methods for implanting satellite tags used in shark conservation efforts. Image Credit: Field School/Julia Wester
“One of the most rewarding things has been watching these women after MISS … many have already gone on to do shark-related projects and are already getting accepted into graduate school,” said Webber-Schultz. “They came to the workshops with no knowledge of shark science, but took their experience and ran with it.”
While the field opportunities are currently restricted to those 18 and up, Webber-Schultz says MISS has also stepped into the K-12 education space with an array of new programs including a virtual course, called Gill Guardians. It also plans to release a book, Minorities in Shark Sciences: Diverse Voices in Shark Research, slated to be published by CRC Press next year.
For now, viewers biting into the flurry of shark documentaries during SharkFest may notice MISS members making waves on TV.
The organization’s list of global partners now includes National Geographic and Nat Geo WILD, which are featuring MISS’s roster of experts as guest presenters in its television programming.
“We had a decent amount of MISS members featuring in various shows this year,” said Webber-Schultz. “It’s been fun to be involved and diversify these programs. I hope we can influence kids out there who get fascinated by these shows, and they can see there are scientists in the field that look like they do and who they can look up to.”
