Sharks @ The Beach gives families a close look at marine biology
Fifty summers after a certain great white shark made movie history, Sharks @ The Beach returned to Cal State Long Beach Saturday, with opportunities to dive into marine science and connect with the researchers behind the work.
“It is always so exciting for us to showcase our research in an engaging, public-friendly way and help people understand the animals they share the beaches with," said Chris Lowe, a professor and the Shark Lab's longtime director. “People are starting to see sharks differently, and I would like to think we’re helping them see a side of these animals they won’t see on ‘Shark Week.’”
A free annual event, Sharks @ The Beach welcomed visitors into the Shark Lab and Marine Lab, where they could examine stingray barbs under microscopes, get safety tips from the Shark Shack team and come face-to-face with real sharks in real research tanks.
Kids dove into crafts and touch tanks, while students, families and community members engaged directly with the researchers behind some of Southern California’s most exciting marine studies.
Lowe and his team of undergraduate and graduate students spent the day in conversation with the public, answering questions, sharing conservation efforts and helping replace fear with facts through hands-on science and open dialogue. Nearby, the Stingray and Butterfly Biomechanics (STABB) Lab team demonstrated how stingrays move and strike, blending biomechanics with public education. And, outside, families took breaks at the food truck and donated pantry staples to the Laurén Chalmers ‘83 Food Pantry to support CSULB students in need.
Whether visitors were drawn by sharks, science or pure curiosity, the day brought the ocean a little closer to home while highlighting the Shark Lab’s mission to correct common misconceptions and protect the animals that once inspired a generation’s deepest ocean fears.
