222 Sharks: The Animal Answer Guide
resources.” Although anyone interested in the objectives of the society can
join AES, membership requires endorsement, preferably by someone with
a professional affiliation. The annual meetings of AES are lively affairs,
usually held in conjunction with meetings of the American Society of Ich-
thyologists and Herpetologists, where active researchers present their lat-
est findings, promote student research and shark conservation, and enjoy
the fellowship of like-minded admirers of fishes with cartilaginous skel-
etons. Coauthor George Burgess is a former president of AES.
Professional organizations in other countries also focus on research and
conservation of sharks and their relatives. New ones are created each year
as interest and concern grow. Links to many can be found at the AES web-
site.
Can anyone study sharks?
Professional status is not required to study sharks. It all depends on
what level of “study” we’re talking about. Both of your authors have been
deeply involved in learning about (studying) sharks since we were quite
young, and we truly hope that you, our readers, will move on from the
information in this book to explore shark biology more deeply. Attend lec-
tures, read actual scientific papers, write letters, get involved.
But to become a real (bona fide) shark researcher requires a consider-
able amount of professional training, beginning with a college degree in an
appropriate field such as biology. Research opportunities for college stu-
dents vary greatly from place to place, but if you’re fortunate enough to be
at an institution that has shark researchers on the faculty, drop in and say
hello and say you would be happy to volunteer your time helping them. No
shark researcher? Not a problem. Just volunteer with someone who stud-
ies any related field. Then work like the dickens to show you are reliable,
tireless, and attentive. Take a class from that faculty member and do excep-
tionally well in it (this seems obvious, but we have learned otherwise). This
person will be your passport to graduate school via a personal recommen-
dation. (Of course you have to do well in your other classes too, including
the ones you’re not interested in.)
From there, you go on to graduate school and actually get to study
sharks. Pursue a master’s and ideally a Ph.D, join AES, and you have ar-
rived.
Which species are best known?
Shark size, habitat type and depth, abundance, and activity levels are
probably the chief determinants of whether we know much or little about a
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