Sharks Don’t Sink: Adventures of a Rogue Shark Scientist

Award-winning marine biologist Graham shares her love of sharks while discussing the challenges she’s encountered as a Black woman in the sciences. Growing up in South Carolina, Graham was a high-achieving student whose passion for the water ignited a remarkable life’s journey. Inspired by Eugenie Clark, a marine scientist known as “the Shark Lady,” Graham devoted herself to studying sharks, only to discover toxic competition, distrust, and discrimination in academia. She eventually left academia for a career outside traditional research institutions, joining with three other Black women to cofound Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS), an organization that seeks to support racial and gender minorities pursuing marine studies. As an independent researcher, she employs her creativity and resilience to further shark research while providing a positive role model for other scientists of color. Graham narrates her own memoir, and her performance has some flaws—her pacing is somewhat awkward, giving the impression that she’s reading from cue cards. Even so, her unique voice and perspective are irreplaceable, and her openness and expertise are engaging.