Join us below at  Noon EDT on Friday (August 17) for a live 30-minute online chat with shark conservation biologist and blogger David Shiffman, who will discuss the health of worldwide shark populations in recent years and his efforts to educate the public about shark conservation.

Shiffman is a Ph.D. student at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science, where he works with Neil Hammerschlag, a marine affairs and policy professor and director of the R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program. Shiffman also writes for the Southern Fried Science blog, a marine science, environmental science and conservation blog written by a team of marine science graduate students who are enthusiasts of science, conservation, education, outreach and the ocean. 

Shiffman is working on a book, "Why Sharks Matter: Using New Environmentalism to Show the Economic and Ecological Importance of Sharks, and How You Can Help." He is also a shark photographer and videographer, and is involved in online shark advocacy. 

We invite you to post chat questions in advance. We have already turned on the capacity to log in to the chat box below. Shiffman will join us at Noon EDT on Friday, August 17.

2 Comments

1. 1. GrrlScientist 11:58 AM 8/17/12

   question: what attracts sharks to undersea optic fibre cables and makes the cables so attractive that the sharks bite them?

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2. 2. Robin Lloyd 04:06 PM 8/17/12

   Thanks for the question, GrrlScientist. Sorry we didn't get to it. I'll pose it on Twitter.

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