Description:
Eugenie "Genie" Clark (May 4, 1922 – February 25, 2015) was a world-renowned marine biologist best known for her work with sharks. Nicknamed "The Shark Lady," she was also a trailblazer in the field of scuba diving – especially for use in marine research.
Clark was born in New York City to an American father and Japanese mother. She was interested in the ocean at an early age and visited the New York Aquarium for the first time when she was nine years old. Clark studied zoology at Hunter College and then later obtained her Doctorate of Zoology from New York University. While an undergraduate, she spent her summers studying at the University of Michigan Biological Station.
Clark traveled around the world pursuing her passion. She wrote her first book, Lady with a Spear, in 1953, and published many scientific research papers over the years. She became famous among fishermen and marine biology students for her many discoveries regarding fish and shark behavior.
Clark earned many awards for her work and also had several fish species named after her. In 2022, the United States Postal Service issued a Forever stamp in her honor. It is a fitting tribute to the woman who forever changed the course of marine biology.