Episode 6: Why Sharks Matter with Dr. David Shiffman

Reckoning with Jason Herbert

This week we talk with marine biologist Dr. David Shiffman about the importance of sharks in our ecosystem, threats to global shark populations, popular misconceptions about sharks, and how to become a shark researcher.
About our guest:
Dr. David Shiffman is an interdisciplinary marine conservation biologist who studies sharks and how to protect them. His work has been cited in endangered species act status reviews, and contributed to Florida changing state laws concerning recreational fishing for endangered hammerhead sharks. He works with a variety of scientific groups and environmental nonprofits to better perform, understand, and use science in creating management plans for marine life of conservation concern. In addition to his scholarship, he is a leader in public science engagement, and has bylines with National Geographic, Scientific American, the Washington Post, and a monthly column in SCUBA diving magazine. He is the author of “Why Sharks Matter,” published in 2022 by Johns Hopkins University Press, and he is one of the most-followed scientists in the world on social media. Follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @WhySharksMatter.