Austin Gallagher

After graduating from Thayer Academy near his home city of Boston in 2004, Gallagher moved to Baltimore to attend Loyola University Maryland where he majored in biology and minored in journalism, graduating in 2008.{{Cite web |last=Buettner |first=Rita |title=From tiger sharks to tea |url=https://www.loyola.edu/explore/magazine/stories/2017/from-tiger-sharks-to-tea |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=www.loyola.edu |date=28 November 2017 |language=en}} From 2008 to 2009, he obtained a master's in marine science from Northeastern University as part of the Three Seas Program.{{Cite web |date=2009-10-01 |title=Could stressed out sharks save more fish? |url=https://news.northeastern.edu/2009/10/01/austingallagher/ |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=News @ Northeastern |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2016-02-08 |title=Alumnus named to Forbes' '30 Under 30' list |url=https://news.northeastern.edu/2016/02/08/alumnus-named-to-forbes-magazines-30-under-30-list/ |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=News @ Northeastern |language=en-US}} In 2010, he began his doctoral degree in environmental science from the University of Miami, studying shark physiology and behavior, ultimately finishing in 2015.{{Cite web |title=Austin Gallagher |url=https://alumni.miami.edu/news/alumni-profiles/2017/austin-gallagher/index.html |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=alumni.miami.edu |language=en}}

During his masters and doctoral research years, he founded Beneath The Waves, initially created as a platform for inspiring effective storytelling in the marine science community. From 2010-2013, Gallagher molded Beneath The Waves into an event series that brought together scientists, filmmakers, and the general public, licensing the brand and event series to over 40 institutes from 25 countries.{{Cite web |last=SouthFlorida.com |first=Barbara Corbellini Duarte |title=Beneath the Waves Film Festival screens globally, acts locally |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/entertainment/theater-and-arts/sf-go-beneath-the-waves-film-festival-lauderdale-20140801-story.html |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=sun-sentinel.com|date=August 2014 }}{{Cite web |date=2015-08-26 |title=Beneath the Waves Film Festival, The Loft Cinema |url=https://loftcinema.org/film/beneath-the-waves-film-festival/ |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=The Loft Cinema |language=en-US}} In 2014, Gallagher incorporated Beneath the Waves as a non-profit organization in the United States, creating a more expansive mission that included research activities.{{Cite web |title=Our Mission: Advance Conservation |url=https://beneaththewaves.org/about/ |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=Beneath The Waves |language=en-US}}

From 2015 – 2017, he worked as a postdoctoral research fellowship at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada under the supervision of Dr. Steven Cooke.{{Cite web |title=Austin Gallagher |url=http://www.fecpl.ca/people/dr-austin-gallagher/ |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=www.fecpl.ca}} In 2018, he began working full time at Beneath the Waves as its Chief Scientist. In 2021, Gallagher assumed the role as CEO, focusing his efforts on setting the high-level scientific strategy and executing impactful partnerships.{{Cite web |title=We Believe in Our Oceans. Meet the Team |url=https://beneaththewaves.org/people/ |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=Beneath The Waves |language=en-US}}

Gallagher sits on the editorial board of the scientific journal Endangered Species Research and is the Specialty Chief Editor and co-founder of the "Discoveries" section of the journal Frontiers in Marine Science.

He has held formal adjunct professorship positions at The University of Exeter (UK), Northeastern University (USA), and University of Miami (USA). Through these universities, he has mentored over 25 graduate (MS and PhD) students.{{Cite web |title=Dt Austin Gallagher's Twitter |url=https://mobile.twitter.com/drausting/status/1310980554721038336 |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=Twitter |language=en}}

Gallagher is a frequent host, wildlife presenter, and talent for Discovery Channel and Shark Week,{{Cite web |title=Tiger Shark King |url=https://www.discovery.com/shows/sw20-tiger-shark-king |language=en |access-date=2022-04-12}}{{Cite web |title=Experience Sharks with Beneath The Waves |url=https://www.discovery.com/shark-week/experience-sharks-with-beneath-the-waves-pictures |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=Discovery Com |language=en}} and he has also appeared on Nat Geo Wild.{{Cite web |last=TV |first=NatGeo |title=National Geographic WILD - Sharks of The Bermuda Triangle |url=https://www.natgeotv.com/za/shows/nationalgeographicwild/sharks-of-the-bermuda-triangle |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=www.natgeotv.com |language=en}}

Gallagher is a broadly-trained biologist focusing on studying survival in marine animals.{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://www.austingallagher.com/ |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=Dr. Austin Gallagher |language=en-US}} He is a world authority on sharks,{{Cite web |title=Are South Africa's great white sharks really 'dying out'? {{!}} Sharks {{!}} Earth Touch News |url=https://www.earthtouchnews.com/oceans/sharks/are-south-africas-great-white-sharks-really-dying-out |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=Earth Touch News Network |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Shiffman |first=David |title=Shark Riders Pose Threat to Conservation Gains Made with Diving Ecotourism [Slide Show] |url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/shark-riders-pose-threat-to-conservation-gains-made-with-diving-ecotourism-slide-show1/ |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=Scientific American |language=en}} conducting research aimed at advancing our understanding of their behavior and physiology, and using this information to create protected areas.{{Cite web |title=Alert Diver |url=https://dan.org/alert-diver/ |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=Divers Alert Network |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Touching A Great White Is A Really, Really Stupid Thing To Do |url=https://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/touching-great-white-sharks-nose-really-really-stupid-idea/ |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=IFLScience |date=28 January 2016 |language=en}} To date he has published over 120 peer-reviewed scientific articles, and he has presented his work at numerous institutions including National Geographic.{{Cite web |title=Explorer Home |url=https://explorers.nationalgeographic.org/directory/austin-gallagher |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=explorers.nationalgeographic.org |language=en}} He published one of the first global arguments suggesting that sharks could be worth more alive for tourism than dead for fishing,{{Cite web |title= |url=https://www.rsmas.miami.edu/assets/Gallagher_and_Hammerschlag_2011_SharkEcotourism.pdf |access-date=2022-04-25 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151220052558/https://www.rsmas.miami.edu/assets/Gallagher_and_Hammerschlag_2011_SharkEcotourism.pdf |archive-date=20 December 2015 |url-status=dead}} and has emerged at the forefront of various branches of marine science, most notably shark research.{{Cite web |title=Austin Gallagher |url=https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=LSu3etEAAAAJ&hl=en |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=scholar.google.com}}

In 2015 he led a scientific expedition to study sharks off Japan, that included Mark Healy, a professional big wave surfer sponsored by GoPro.{{Cite web |title=The Season of Mark Healey |url=https://gopro.com/en/us/news/the-season-of-mark-healey?srsltid=AfmBOooYrFXXPOinUsCpSo2q979k4yTl-MAotVeHPV5FTnU202_UDCcY |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=gopro.com |language=en-US}} This expedition was featured in the cover story of the February 2016 issue of Outside Magazine.{{Cite web |date=2016-02-29 |title=Mark Healey Is the Greatest Athlete You've Never Heard Of |url=https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/water-activities/mark-healey-greatest-athlete-youve-never-heard/ |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=Outside Online |language=en-US}}

In 2016, he spearheaded a shark and fishing boat tracking initiative Global Fishing Watch, in partnership with Oceana, Google, and SkyTruth.

In 2017, he led the science on the BVI Art Reef,{{Cite web |last=Reef |first=Beyond The |title=Beyond The Reef |url=https://1beyondthereef.com/kodiak-queen |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=Beyond The Reef |language=en-US}} a collaborative project with Sir Richard Branson that sunk a derelict WWII ship for the purposes of establishing an artificial reef to restore overfished species in the British Virgin Islands.{{Cite news |last=Billock |first=Jennifer |date=2017-03-08 |title=New Caribbean Dive Site: A Ship That Survived Pearl Harbor |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/08/travel/british-virgin-islands-historic-ship-dive-site-richard-branson.html |access-date=2022-04-25 |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web |title=Richard Branson Is Transforming a Pearl Harbor Boat Into a Cool New Diving Spot – Travel News |url=https://www.zeebits.com/index.php/2020/09/09/richard-branson-is-transforming-a-pearl-harbor-boat-into-a-cool-new-diving-spot/ |access-date=2022-04-25 |language=en-US}}

In 2018 he began investing heavily in The Bahamas as a research locality, with a project evaluating the benefits of large protected areas for sharks.{{Cite journal |last1=Gallagher |first1=Austin J. |last2=Shipley |first2=Oliver N. |last3=van Zinnicq Bergmann |first3=Maurits P. M. |last4=Brownscombe |first4=Jacob W. |last5=Dahlgren |first5=Craig P. |last6=Frisk |first6=Michael G. |last7=Griffin |first7=Lucas P. |last8=Hammerschlag |first8=Neil |last9=Kattan |first9=Sami |last10=Papastamatiou |first10=Yannis P. |last11=Shea |first11=Brendan D. |date=2021 |title=Spatial Connectivity and Drivers of Shark Habitat Use Within a Large Marine Protected Area in the Caribbean, The Bahamas Shark Sanctuary |journal=Frontiers in Marine Science |volume=7 |doi=10.3389/fmars.2020.608848 |issn=2296-7745|doi-access=free |bibcode=2021FrMaS...708848G |hdl=10754/667565 |hdl-access=free }}  producing the first publication on the long-term movements of sharks within a shark sanctuary,{{Cite web |title=SAVE OUR SHARKS: Beneath the Waves on Expedition in the Bahamas Shark Sanctuary |url=https://oceanscapesphotography.com/blog/save-our-sharks |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=OCEANSCAPES |date=20 January 2019 |language=en-US}} the first records of harmful metal concentrations in sharks from the region,{{Cite web |date=2021-01-25 |title=Sharks found with dangerously high levels of heavy metals in The Caribbean |url=https://dcnanature.org/sharks-toxins/ |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=DCNA |language=en-US}} the first application of 360-degree camera technology to marine species,{{Cite journal |last1=Gallagher |first1=Austin J. |last2=Alsudairy |first2=Nourah A. |last3=Shea |first3=Brendan D. |last4=Payne |first4=Nicholas L. |last5=Duarte |first5=Carlos M. |date=2021 |title=First Application of 360-Degree Camera Technology to Marine Predator Bio-Logging |journal=Frontiers in Marine Science |volume=8 |doi=10.3389/fmars.2021.707376 |issn=2296-7745|doi-access=free |bibcode=2021FrMaS...807376G |hdl=10754/670533 |hdl-access=free }} and the first description of the genome of the Caribbean reef shark.{{Cite journal |last1=Gallagher |first1=Austin J. |last2=Shipley |first2=Oliver N. |last3=Reese |first3=Bo |last4=Singh |first4=Vijender |title=Complete mitochondrial genome of the Caribbean reef shark, Carcharhinus perezi (Carcharhinformes: Carcharhinidae) |journal=Mitochondrial DNA Part B |year=2021 |volume=6 |issue=9 |pages=2662–2664 |doi=10.1080/23802359.2021.1964394 |issn=2380-2359 |pmc=8381894 |pmid=34435112}} The Bahamas work led by Beneath the Waves has generated significant press and has been featured in Forbes, Scientific American, and on Sir Richard Branson's Virgin blog.{{Cite web |date=2019-03-11 |title=The sanctuary model crucial for protecting sharks |url=https://www.oceanunite.org/the-sanctuary-model-crucial-for-protecting-sharks/ |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=Ocean Unite |language=en-US}}{{dead link|date=March 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}{{Cite web |last=Márquez |first=Melissa Cristina |title=A Holiday With Teeth: How You Can Help Sharks While On Vacation |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/melissacristinamarquez/2019/02/20/a-holiday-with-teeth-how-you-can-help-sharks-while-on-vacation/ |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=Forbes |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Márquez |first=Melissa Cristina |title=Can Scientists, Entrepreneurs, And The Private Sector Come Together To Save Sharks? |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/melissacristinamarquez/2019/04/29/tracking-down-sharks-in-the-bahamas/ |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=Forbes |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Márquez |first=Melissa Cristina |title=The Tale Of The Shark That Swam The Whole World- Well, Sort Of |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/melissacristinamarquez/2020/07/22/the-tale-of-the-shark-that-swam-the-whole-worldwell-sort-of/ |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=Forbes |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Hettermann |first=Kristin |title=Save the Sharks! |url=https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/save-the-sharks/ |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=Scientific American Blog Network |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Shiffman |first=David |title=Shark Riders Pose Threat to Conservation Gains Made with Diving Ecotourism [Slide Show] |url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/slideshow/shark-riders-pose-threat-to-conservation-gains-made-with-diving-ecotourism-slide-show/ |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=Scientific American |language=en}}

From 2019 - 2020, Gallagher began significantly expanding his research footprint throughout the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean, and began producing several “first-ever” discoveries for the study of the ocean, including the description of likely-new species of bonnethead shark off Panama,{{Cite web |last=WavesPhD |first=Austin J. GallagherBeneath the |title=Austin GALLAGHER {{!}} Chief Scientist {{!}} PhD |url=https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Austin-Gallagher |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=ResearchGate |language=en}} the first global assessment of shark and fishing vessel movements, the first video recordings and imagery of the sharpnose sevengill shark (at 2200 feet deep),{{Cite journal |last1=Phillips |first1=Brennan |last2=Shipley |first2=Oliver |last3=Halvorsen |first3=Jason |last4=Sternlicht |first4=James |last5=Gallagher |first5=Austin |date=2019-01-01 |title=First in situ observations of the sharpnose sevengill shark (Heptranchias perlo), from the Tongue of the Ocean, Bahamas |journal=Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation |volume=32 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330370624 |pages=17–22 |doi=10.5281/zenodo.2539708}} the first published science on the potential ecological effects of white sharks in the Atlantic,{{Cite web |last=MYERS |first=K. C. |title=Brewster presentation to explore shark history |url=https://www.capecodtimes.com/story/news/2013/08/08/brewster-presentation-to-explore-shark/44378157007/ |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=Cape Cod Times |language=en-US}} and the first record of sawfish in Biscayne Bay, Miami, Florida.{{Cite web |last=Fisheries |first=NOAA |date=2020-12-21 |title=Endangered Smalltooth Sawfish Rediscovered in Biscayne Bay {{!}} NOAA Fisheries |url=https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/endangered-smalltooth-sawfish-rediscovered-biscayne-bay |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=NOAA |language=en}}

In 2020, Gallagher began working closely with Dr. Carlos Duarte, recognized as one of the world’s top marine scientists and most-influential scientists (of all disciplines), whom inspired Gallagher’s research expansion into blue carbon. Through a unique partnership with tagged tiger sharks, Gallagher and Duarte discovered the world’s largest seagrass meadow in The Bahamas, estimated to be up to 93,000 square kilometers.

In 2021, Gallagher led the first expedition to study deep-sea fish fauna off Turks and Caicos. From 2021, Gallagher served as the co-Principal Investigator on two multi-year Darwin Plus projects,{{Cite web |title=BIOS Receives U.K. Grant to Study Deep-sea Marine Life {{!}} Currents {{!}} BIOS - Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences |url=http://www.bios.edu/currents/bios-receives-u.k.-grant-to-study-deep-sea-marine-life |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=www.bios.edu}} funded by the government of the United Kingdom, to study the deep-water biodiversity of Bermuda and The Cayman Islands.{{Cite press release |last=admin |title=Beneath the Waves Receives Major Funding to Study Deep-Sea Life in the Caribbean {{!}} ABNewswire |date=July 2021 |url=https://www.abnewswire.com/pressreleases/beneath-the-waves-receives-major-funding-to-study-deepsea-life-in-the-caribbean_550888.html |access-date=2022-04-25 |language=en-US}}

Gallagher has helped activate Beneath the Waves into a variety of influential communities and pop-culture events, including Summit Series, Tortuga Music Festival, and Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. He has worked with the Grand Isle Resort and Spa{{Cite web|url=https://grandisleresort.com/|title=Grand Isle Resort | A Luxury Beach Resort in Exuma, Bahamas|website=Grand Isle Resort}} in Great Exuma, Bahamas, to expose visitors of the resort to hands-on shark tagging research, thus creating a sustainable business model for funding ocean research.{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/billspringer/2019/01/31/bahamas-resort-offers-guests-a-chance-to-tag-sharks-in-the-wild-for-science/|title=Bahamas Resort Offers Guests A Chance To Tag Sharks In the Wild (For Science)|last=Springer|first=Bill|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=2019-06-12}} In 2017 he co-founded a beverage startup called Tempo{{cite web|url=https://www.tempobev.com/|title=Product|website=Tempo Sparkling Tea|language=en-US|access-date=2018-02-26}} which produced CBD-infused sparkling beverages.{{Cite web |title=RYAN CRANE |url=https://www.ryancrane.co/ |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=RYAN CRANE |language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesnonprofitcouncil/2017/12/19/why-organizations-should-work-with-beverage-brands-and-how-they-can-find-partnerships/#14b922da4db5|title=Why Organizations Should Work With Beverage Brands (And How They Can Find Partnerships)|last=Gallagher|first=Austin|work=Forbes|access-date=2018-02-26|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.newhope.com/business-resources/new-playbook-smart-corporate-environmental-responsibility-programs|title=The new playbook for smart corporate environmental responsibility programs|date=2018-02-12|work=New Hope Network|access-date=2018-02-26}}

In 2016, Gallagher became the first American marine biologist to make the Forbes 30 Under 30 List, at the age of 29. He was also the only conservation biologist on the list in 2016. From 2016-2017 he served as a member of the Forbes Non Profit Council.{{Cite web |title=Austin Gallagher - Forbes Nonprofit Council |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesnonprofitcouncil/ |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=Forbes |language=en}} In April 2016 he was awarded the Loyola University Young Alumni Award,{{Cite web |title=Austin Gallagher - Alumni - Loyola University Maryland |url=https://www.loyola.edu/about/community/alumni/gallagher |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=www.loyola.edu}} and in the same month he gave a TEDx talk in San Diego, California, on facing your fears to change the world.{{Citation |title=Face Your Fears. Amazing Things Await. {{!}} Austin Gallagher {{!}} TEDxYouth@SanDiego | date=27 June 2016 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AZARv9XN8A |language=en |access-date=2022-04-23}}

In 2019, Gallagher became a Fulbright distinguished professor.

In 2021, Gallagher was awarded Scuba Diving Magazine’s Sea Hero Award.{{Cite web |title=Austin Gallagher Receives Sea Hero Honors for Shark Conservation Work |url=https://www.scubadiving.com/austin-gallagher-receives-sea-hero-honors-for-shark-conservation-work |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=Scuba Diving |language=en}}

In 2023, Gallagher was awarded Blue Marine Foundation's Ocean Hero Award, winning in the "Science" category.{{Cite web |date=May 10, 2023 |title=2023 Ocean Awards Winners |url=https://www.bluemarinefoundation.com/2023/05/10/2023-ocean-award-winners/}}

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Category:Living people

Category:American conservationists

Category:American marine biologists

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)