Join on Tuesday, April 29th, 2025 as the Ruth Pauley Lecture Series will present “The Untold Story of Sharks” with Dr. Jess Cramp. National Geographic Live-bringing Explorers from the field live on stage!

National Geographic Explorer Jess Cramp is a shark researcher who specializes in conservation policy and engaging communities in the management of their ocean. Dr. Cramp completed her Ph.D. at James Cook University in Australia. She co-championed a grassroots campaign that resulted in formation of the Cook Islands Shark Sanctuary in 2012, an area exceeding 770,000 square miles. In 2015, she was named a National Geographic Emerging Explorer and in 2017 was awarded a National Geographic grant on “Evaluating the Effectiveness of Large-Scale Marine Reserves on Highly Migratory Sharks.” 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. Widely published in numerous scientific journals, Dr. Cramp was named an AAAS If/Then Ambassador, a program created by the American Association for the Advancement of Science to bring together 125 women from different science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers to serve as role models for middle school girls, and in 2020 was featured as part of the IfThenSheCan-The Exhibit-an exhibit of 3-D printed statues of prominent AAAS If/Then Ambassadors.”

The event will begin at 7:00pm in Owens Auditorium at the Bradshaw Performing Arts Center on the Sandhills Community College campus. The lecture will be preceded with a cash bar in the auditorium lobby and will be followed by a Q&A session and then an informal gathering with the speaker and refreshments in the lobby. All Ruth Pauley lectures are free and open to the public. For additional information and to reserve your space, CLICK HERE.