Jess Cramp is a shark researcher who specializes in conservation policy and engaging communities in the management of their ocean. Jess co-championed a grassroots campaign that resulted in the Cook Islands Shark Sanctuary in 2012, an area exceeding 770,000 square miles. Jess has since advised communities, national governments and international organizations on conservation policy, led marine research expeditions through various island nations, and mentored local youth interested in science. She is the founder and executive director of Sharks Pacific, a non-profit organization that conducts research, outreach and advocacy throughout the Pacific Islands region. Her work focuses on improving fisheries management, human-wildlife conflict prevention, community empowerment, and the development of policies that consider people and the environment in equal measure.
She received her PhD from James Cook University. An accomplished speaker, Jess was named a National Geographic Emerging Explorer in 2015 and an AAAS If/Then Ambassador in 2019.
If I were a shark: I’d be a scalloped hammerhead because they thrive both alone and in big groups, like to travel long distances and have a crazy shaped cephalofoil for a head that provides better vision and maneuverability.
My happy place: In a warm ocean with friends where I can surf and dive, preferably on an uncrowded right hander (surf break).
When I was a kid: I wanted to be the short stop for the New York Mets, a fighter pilot, and an ocean explorer.
My favorite books, movies or podcasts:Top Gun (movie), Winged Legend: the story of Amelia Earhart (book), Radiolab and The Lineup Pod (podcasts).
