Marine Biological Hall Of Distinction: Doctor Austin Gallagher
This article is a part of our collection known as the Marine Hall Of Distinction. It is a different series from our main monthly series & has no connection to the main monthly series. In this special collection, we will discuss marine biologists who we feel have served marine biology & oceanography the most. We do this in order to commemorate these marine biologists & to show gratitude for everything they have contributed to our oceans. This collection has no relation to the main monthly series. This series is published on the 25th of every month, shortly after our article on the oceanic environment of a certain region on the 20th.
Today’s marine biologist is the esteemed Doctor Austin Gallagher. Austin Gallagher is an accomplished marine biologist, biologist, & ecologist. He is well known for his work relating to Shark Tracking In Japan, & his description of the largest seagrass bed on Earth. Doctor Gallagher has been featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 List in the Science Category, & has been honored as a Fulbright Scholar. In addition to these, he has started a new NGO called Beneath The Waves, which aims at tackling issues such as Ocean Health, Shark Conservation, & having more Marine Protected Areas. Over the course of his career, he has led approximately 50 Scientific Expeditions, & published at least 125 scientific articles. In this article, we will discuss the Formative Years & Education Of Doctor Austin Gallagher, The Career & Later Life Of Doctor Austin Gallagher, & the Awards, Accomplishments, Honorables, & Achievements of Doctor Austin Gallagher. With that being said, let us delve into the life of this highly admired shark scientist.
The Formative Years & Education Of Doctor Austin Gallagher
Doctor Austin Gallagher was born in 1987, in Boston, Massachusetts. As a child, he had a strong interest in Sharks, & Marine Biology as a whole. He was raised in New England, near the coast, which may have helped spark his interest. To prepare him for higher education, Gallagher attended Thayer Academy, & graduated in 2004. Soon after graduating, he was accepted to Loyola University of Maryland. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree in Biology, & a minor in Journalism in 2008. From the years 2008 to 2009, he obtained his Master’s Degree in Marine Science from Northeastern University, as a part of their Three Seas Program. Gallagher worked on his doctoral degree from 2010 to 2015 at the University of Miami, where he studied Shark Behaviours & Psychology.
The Career & Later Life Of Doctor Austin Gallagher
Gallagher’s Career began in 2010 when he started his organization Beneath the Waves. Over the years, he gradually began shaping it into a place where citizen scientists, scientists, filmmakers, academics, & artists alike could collaborate on Oceanic & Shark conservation. He officially incorporated the organization as a nonprofit in 2014, in the United States.
Beginning in 2015, he worked on a post-doctoral fellowship with Carleton University of Canada, under the supervision of Doctor Steven Cooke. While working on this fellowship, he led an initiative to track shark & fishing boats, in conjunction with companies such as Google & Oceana. He officially finished this fellowship in 2017, & promptly began working on another project. Soon after, he helped lead a scientific team to sink a decommissioned ship in the British Virgin Islands, to create an artificial reef. This project was named BVI Art Reef, & was successfully completed.
Gallagher has done much research in the Bahamas, one of the first examples of which was in 2018. In 2018, he began a project proving the long-term benefits for Sharks in Marine Protected Zones, research which proves the importance of Marine Protected Zones. He also worked on a project proving the high concentration of harmful metals in Sharks from the region, described the genome of the Caribbean Reef Shark, & was the first scientist to utilize 360° cameras to track or monitor marine animals.
In 2018, Gallagher began working full-time as the Lead Scientist with Beneath The Waves.
From 2019 to 2020, Gallagher worked on many different studies in the Caribbean Sea, & the Southern Atlantic Ocean. This research resulted in the discovery of a new species of Bonnethead Shark, & never-before-seen video footage of the Sharpnose Sevengill Shark in the deep sea. In the same year, he tracked sawfish in Biscanye Bay, a species never found on record before. Using various techniques, Gallagher did the first global assessment of Shark Fishing Vessels.
In 2021, he stepped into the role of Chief Executive Officer at Beneath The Waves, where he has remained. In the same year, he was also awarded the Diving Hero Award From The Scuba Diving Magazine.
Modernly, Gallagher frequently appears as a wildlife presenter with Discovery & Shark Week, & occasionally appears with National Geographic.
The Awards, Accomplishments, Honorables, & Achievements Of Doctor Austin Gallagher
He won the Blue Marine Science Foundation’s Science Award in 2023.
He won the Sea Hero Award from Scuba Diving Magazine in 2021.
He has led over 50 scientific expeditions.
He led the first expedition to study deep sea fish off the coast of the Turks & Caicos Islands.
He has published over 100 Scientific Articles.
He is a Fulbright Distinguished Scholar.
He was honoured as one of the people on the Forbes 30 Under 30 List in 2016 at the age of 29.
As of 2024, he serves on the Advisory Boards for Hidden Worlds Entertainment, & Colossal.
He was the founder & chief editor of Discoveries, a column in the Frontiers in Marine Science scientific journal.
He founded the nonprofit organization “Beneath The Waves”, dedicated to oceanic & shark conservation.
He is the co-founder & owner of a CBD-infused tea company, known as Tempo Beverages.
He led a Shark Tracking Initiative known as the Global Fishing Watch, in partnership with companies such as Google.
Directories / Credits
Citation No. 1: “Dr. Austin Gallagher”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Austin Gallagher. Retrieval Date: July 12th, 2024.
Citation No. 2: “Biography”, Written By Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Austin Gallagher. Retrieval Date: July 12th, 2024.
Citation No. 3: “Austin Gallagher”, Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by National Geographic. Retrieval Date: July 12th, 2024.
Citation No. 4: “Project Leader: Austin Gallagher”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Save Our Seas. Retrieval Date: July 12th, 2024.
Citation No. 5: “From Tiger Sharks to Tea”, Written by Rita Buettner, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Loyola University Maryland. Retrieval Date: July 13th, 2024.
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