Breaking Barriers
“Just as we Black women scientists have struggled to thrive in our field, sharks have struggled to survive,” says Graham. “When Black women fight back, we are seen as the enemy, just like sharks, which, more often than not, bite only when provoked.”
Like a shark, Graham doesn’t stop moving. In 2024, she published a book, Sharks Don’t Sink, a memoir of her journey to becoming a shark scientist. She also appeared on an eight-episode PBS miniseries, Sharks Unknown With Jasmin Graham. She regularly publishes research in scientific journals and partners with National Geographic as a science adviser and consultant, leading to SCI Journal including her on its “Top 16 Famous Shark Scientists That You Should Know” list.
“I don’t just love sharks,” says Graham. “I feel for them. I admire their persistence, their resilience, their ability to survive, to keep moving forward; but I’m also laser-focused on their vulnerabilities, their need for our protection.”
Graham discovered her passion for sharks as an Honors College student at the College. In her search for a paid research position – a rare opportunity for undergraduates – she met Gavin Naylor, then a CofC marine biology professor working on the Chondrichthyan Tree of Life Project, which focuses on the genus of sharks, skates, rays and chimaeras. Naylor was able to get Graham funding, and they worked together throughout her time at the College.
“Gavin moved mountains to find me undergraduate funding after my summer research with him,” says Graham, who grew up in Columbia, S.C. “The funding Gavin found for me, when others said it was impossible, was essential, but perhaps his biggest gift was the confidence he always seemed to have in me.”
For Naylor, supporting Graham just made sense. “When you meet someone of the caliber of Jasmin, you want to support her,” he says. “For such a young person, she is incredibly self-assured – not loud but quietly confident. She was an absolute joy to work with.”
At the urging of Naylor, Graham applied for and received a National Science Foundation graduate research fellowship. After graduating from CofC with a double major in marine biology and Spanish, she studied with Naylor’s colleague at Florida State University, graduating with a master’s in marine biology. She then discovered a group of marine scientists who were also women of color.
Graham had never encountered a shark scientist who looked like her, and the experience proved pivotal. In 2020, she cofounded Minorities in Shark Science to provide underrepresented students with a welcoming, inclusive environment to explore the field of marine science. All MISS programs are free because, as Graham says, “not having money shouldn’t be a reason you never get this experience on the water.”
Today, with Graham as CEO, MISS has more than 500 members in 33 countries. In her role, she wears many hats, from fundraising and research to outreach and public awareness.
In addition to conducting ocean science workshops for students, Graham regularly presents about the importance of protecting endangered sharks. When she first started her presentations, she would Google “marine scientists” to show the audience how the field was not diverse. Now, the Google images include more diversity, and almost all are affiliated with MISS.
Graham also serves on the board of the American Elasmobranch Society, which supports the scientific study of sharks, skates and rays. She says she is pleased that AES is helping to bring more communities of color into marine sciences.