Howdy y’all and welcome to the EEARSS by Alligator Robb Podcast , produced by Terrier TV at Titusville High School. On this episode, Bill, Cindy, and Frank are joined by Steven T. Kessel , Director of Marine Research at the John G. Shedd Aquarium. Steven Kessel has worked extensively with a wide variety of marine species and has built a strong reputation as a conservation scientist. Since joining Shedd Aquarium’s Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and Research in 2017, he has overseen marine conservation projects in the Bahamas focused on protecting the endangered Nassau grouper and threatened queen conch. In addition, Steven leads his own original research dedicated to better understanding Caribbean shark species to aid in their protection. Over the years, he has contributed to studies on lemon sharks, Red Sea sharks, manta rays, and has been instrumental in developing conservation management programs for several key species. Steven holds a Ph.D. in marine ecology and biology from Cardiff University in the UK. After completing his degree in 2009, he continued at Cardiff as a postdoctoral fellow, serving as the principal investigator for the Jupiter Large Coastal Shark Species Study, which examined the biology and ecology of large shark species along the eastern U.S. coast. He later joined the University of Windsor’s Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, where he led the Lancaster Sound Arctic component of the Ocean Tracking Network. At Michigan State University, Steven turned his expertise toward freshwater, studying the movements and migrations of lake sturgeon in the Great Lakes. We are honored to have Steven share his incredible career path, research experiences, and conservation insights with us.
