Your Crew

Catherine is a fifth-year PhD student in the Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy at the University of Miami. Her dissertation studies the interactions between humans and wildlife. She is a summa cum laude and phi beta kappa graduate of Amherst College and a 2007-2008 Thomas J. Watson Fellow. Her fellowship sent her to five countries around the world to pursue field research on sharks.

From 2011-2016, she was also Intern Coordinator for the University of Miami’s Shark Research and Conservation Program, where she trained and mentored undergraduate and M.S. students.

Dr. Julia Wester, Director of Program Development

Julia received her PhD from the Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy at the University of Miami in 2016.  Her dissertation studied the psychology of decision making about the environment, specifically with regard to limited water resources.  She also received a Msc with Distinction in Biodiversity Conservation and Management from Oxford University and worked as a Legislative Aide in South Florida, focusing on environmental policy.

She teaches at the University and graduate level, and has consulted with nonprofit programs to evaluate their outreach and education and assisted in training staff to conduct effective public outreach.

Christian Pankow earned his B.S. in Marine Biology from Eckerd College and is completing his M.A. at Coastal Carolina University in Coastal Marine and Wetland Studies. He served as staff at the Bimini Biological Field Station („Sharklab“) from 2005-2008, and as lab manager of the Shark Research and Conservation Program at the University of Miami from 2013-2016. His current research focuses on the feeding ecology and seasonal distribution of estuarine sharks in South Carolina.

Nick is a graduate of University of Miami’s marine science program. As an undergraduate Nick was an intern with the Shark Research and Conservation Program, training under our core team in the field over several years. He has gone on to become a Coast Guard licensed boat captain and one of Garvin’s best friends. He has extensive field research and boating experience, and an infectious passion for the oceans and marine science.

Jake received his Masters degree from the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami in 2016 and his B.S from Western Illinois University in 2013. His masters thesis focused on the physiological and reflex impairments that sharks experience in response to fishing. During his time at the University of Miami, Jake worked with the Shark Research and Conservation program where he led several community outreach projects ranging from in-class presentations to field expeditions that focused on teaching members of the public about shark biology and conservation. While earning his B.S. in Illinois, Jake worked with university faculty on a multitude of projects including Asian carp hybridization and geographic information systems (GIS) watershed projects. Jake has also worked for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency as a habitat monitoring and assessment technician.