Eugenie Clark (1922-2015)

I don’t get philosophical. Love fish. Love sharks. Keep the water and their habitats as clean and protected as possible.

Dr. Eugenie Clark, aka “The Shark Lady,” was a world-renowned ichthyologist, deep sea explorer, educator, and communicator. Inspired by her Japanese-American heritage and childhood aquarium visits, Dr. Clark followed her passion for fish and specialized in sharks and tropical sand fishes, blazing trails for women in science. Dr. Clark’s distinguished career included over 60 years of diving (including 72 submersible dives as deep as 12,000 feet), pioneering the use of scuba gear to research animals in their natural habitat, and leading over 200 research expeditions across the world. Dr. Clark’s chronicles of her graduate research in Lady with a Spear (1953), motivated her creation of Mote Marine Lab in Sarasota, Fla. (originally Cape Haze Marine Lab in Placida, Fla.). There, Dr. Clark conducted groundbreaking behavioral experiments with large sharks, dispelling the notion that sharks were “stupid, mindless, man-eaters.” She invited and inspired the public to share her conservation research and discovery, especially schoolchildren and her own four kids. Dr. Clark took her dedication to science and teaching to the University of Maryland as a professor for 24 years, becoming a mentor and role model to a generation of marine biologists. Dr. Clark wrote three books and over 175 articles, received numerous awards, and helped establish Egypt’s first Marine National Park in the Red Sea. Those who knew Dr. Clark described her as magnificent, humble, and curious, but perhaps her greatest legacy is her uncommon ability to connect to people, change perceptions, and share her passion for ocean science, conservation, and exploration.

Credit: This plaque was created by SUTL Cohort 30.

Photo Credit: Tak Konstantinou.