Demian Chapman, an assistant professor at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at Stony Brook University. Chapman uses genetic and electronic tagging data to help clarify population structure, dispersal, and reproductive patterns in marine vertebrates. He is also interested in the development of wildlife forensics resources for monitoring the global shark fin trade.
His research highlights include the discovery of asexual reproduction (“virgin birth”) in sharks, the use of “DNA-zip coding” to determine the geographic origin of shark fins sold in Asia, and studies of lemon sharks over two decades, showing that sharks return to their birthplace to breed, similar to salmon and sea turtles. Chapman’s research has influenced development and zoning of marine protected areas in Belize and permanent protection for sharks in The Bahamas. He also serves on the scientific advisory board of the Pew global shark conservation initiative, the Grant Fund Committee of the American Elasmobranch Society, and as a member of the Shark Specialist Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
RSS