FIU headlines SharkCon 11 lineup, Biologist named Shark Hero

Yannis Papastamatiou has been named Shark Hero of 2025 during the 11^th annual SharkCon.

The award is given annually to someone who has contributed to the well-being and long-term sustainability of sharks in the world’s oceans, according to SharkCon creator Spencer Steward. One of the world’s leading shark behavioral ecologists and associate professor at FIU, Papastamatiou has dedicated his career to expanding knowledge and understanding of sharks. His use of new tag technologies has advanced the field of predator ecology and contributed to Marine Protected Areas and wildlife migration corridors.

His work focuses on a variety of ecosystems, from the coastal U.S. to the remote waters of French Polynesia. His scientific adventures include a night dive with 700 sharks during a feeding frenzy and shark tagging with Marvel’s newest Captain America, Anthony Mackie for National Geographic. His work has revealed some sharks can actually be social, some great whites hunt in pairs, certain bonnetheads actually eat plants, oceanic whitetips exploit physics for energy, and some sharks surf currents to relax. These findings are leading to a new understanding of these hard-to-study animals and their needs in conservation. He is also a contributor to Global FinPrint, the world’s largest reef shark and ray survey, and collaborator on a variety of research initiatives on the ecological importance of sharks for healthy oceans. Having tagged more than 1,000 sharks in his career, he has collaborated on research that provided the foundation for successful international proposals to expand protections for sharks and rays.  

FIU students Sophia Hemsi and Will Sample at SharkCon 11 (left), SharkCon creator Spencer Steward presents Yannis Papastamatiou with the Shark Hero award (center), and Mike Heithaus meets with a young fan during the two-day event (right).

Papastamatiou presented his work along with fellow marine biologist Mike Heithaus as one of the featured scientists at this year’s SharkCon. Heithaus, who also serves as the executive dean of the College of Arts, Sciences & Education, vice provost for environmental resilience and vice provost for the Biscayne Bay Campus, specializes in the ecological role of sharks and other large marine predators in maintaining healthy oceans. He was honored as SharkCon's Shark Hero in 2023. FIU researcher Diego Cardeñosa presented his latest work on shark conversation and gave the standing-room-only audience insight into the importance of the world’s smallest hammerhead. FIU students Will Sample and Sophia Hemsi also took to the stage alongside ANGARI Foundation President Angela Rosenberg, sharing the importance of community engagement in science exploration and research. FIU and ANGARI host the Coastal Ocean Explorers program for sharks, which conducts full-day, at-sea expeditions for teachers and middle school and high school students on board ANGARI’s research vessel. To date, the partnership has hosted 48 expeditions with more than 700 participants.

Papastamatiou and Heithaus, who appeared on National Geographic’s SharkFest this year, also met with fans of the shows along with school teachers, shark advocates, FIU alumni and current students who attended the two-day event. SharkCon is dedicated to celebrating shark lore, shark science and raising awareness about shark and ocean conservation. This year's event paid homage to the original Jaws film, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary. In addition to the scientists, this year’s lineup included ocean photographers, aquarium scientists, podcasters and celebrities from the Jaws films.