Some, as they say, personal news: I’m getting married!
I’d love to use this happy occassion to spread good news around. To that end, if you’re so inclined to make a donation “in honor of David and Eileen getting married,” here is a list of some great charities I love, and some instructions on how to donate in our names.
SCUBA selfie of Eileen and I during a Florida Keys dive trip last month.
Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS). MISS is helping to make my field more welcoming for everyone, and they do this through professional development, networking, scholarships, and more. I’m a proud “Friend of MISS,” their organized allyship program, and have mentored several of their members. It’s a great organization that’s making a real difference in my field.
How to donate: Visit their donation page here, select the box for “Dedicate my donation in honor or memory of someone,” and write my name (it lets you select one honoree, but you can put a “message to the recipient” and put “in honor of David and Eileen getting married” there.
Shark Advocates International. SAI is one of the most impactful ocean conservation organizations out there. SAI President Sonja Fordham, one of my conservation mentors (and heroes,) has been involved in most major shark conservation victories over the last couple of decades. Sonja speaks on behalf of sharks at wildlife conservation and fisheries management meetings all over the world, and has a huge string of successes under her belt. And because SAI is a one-person operation, your donations go a long way.
How to donate: Visit their donation page here, there is no way to indicate that it’s in honor of us but Sonja is keeping track of who donates and will give me a list.
The American Elasmobranch Society (AES) student travel scholarship fund. AES is the world’s oldest and largest professional society focusing on the scientific study of sharks and their relatives. I’ve been a member since I was a Masters student and am currently in the last year of my second term on the Board of Directors. Our annual conference is a great way for early career researchers to network and find job opportunities. By donating to the student travel scholarship fund, you’re helping to make attendance possible for students who otherwise could not afford it.
How to donate: AES has created a dedicated donation link through PayPal, which you can access here.
The Union of Concerned Scientists. Science is under attack in this country, and UCS is one of the oldest and most effective organizations fighting back. I volunteer as part of their action network, which resulted in writing and coordinating a sign-on letter from dozens of professional societies representing nearly 100,000 scientists. And Congress listened to us, at least partly!
How to donate: UCS has created a dedicated donation link here.
The Shark Research and Conservation Program at the University of Miami’s outreach fund (SRC). I got my Ph.D. as a student in this lab, and it’s now run by my former labmate and longtime friend and collaborator Dr. Catherine Macdonald. What I love about the program is the incorporation of outreach into the research- every single research expedition brings a group of guests, including school groups from Miami public schools. Your donation will go right to covering the costs of low-income Miami public school students getting to experience a day of shark research!
How to donate: SRC has created a dedicated donation link here.
Thanks, friends, family, and colleagues!