Melissa Cristina Márquez

Melissa Cristina Márquez (born 1993[1]) is a Puerto Rican marine biologist.[2] She is a shark scientist.[2] She studies Chondrichthyan animals.[3][2] She researches why they choose specific habitats.[2] She is one of Forbes Magazine's 30 Under 30.[4] Hola Magazine also named Márquez a Top 100 Latina Powerhouse in 2021.[1]

Early life

Melissa Cristina Márquez was born in Puerto Rico, but she grew up in Mexico.[5] As a child, Márquez made her very first memories on the beach.[6] She would analyze tidal waters, and gather seashells while watching groups of fish.[6] Márquez grew up watching the Discovery Channel segments about sharks.[7] She was four when she discovered she wanted to study them.[8]

Márquez describes her family as very supportive.[9] Her mother had a career as a biology educator and biochemical engineer.[6]

Education

Márquez received her undergraduate degree at the New College of Florida.[1] She got a master’s degree from Victoria University of Wellington.[1] Márquez also has a PhD from Curtin University.[10]

Career

Márquez is an environmental activist and science communicator. Márquez is committed to making sure that all STEM workplaces are inclusive and equally diverse.[6] Hola Magazine named Márquez a Top 100 Latina Powerhouse in 2021.[1] She is one of Forbes Magazine's 30 Under 30.[4]

Márquez is the founder of the Fins United Initiative.[11] She works with Divya Nawale and other members of the advisory board of Women in Ocean Science.[12] She is a judge for Boston Museum of Science's Reach Out Science Slam.[13]

Márquez often appears on Discovery Channel's Shark Week.[1][14] She published a series of children's books called “Wild Survival!”[15][1] She stars in the documentary movie OceanXplorers.[16] Márquez also writes for Forbes Science.[11][10] Márquez has hosted her own Spanish language environmental podcast called ConCiencia Azul.[6] She interviews other ocean scientists.[6] She stars in the documentary movie OceanXplorers.[16] Márquez has given a TEDx talk on “Sharks & Female Scientists: More Alike Than You Think”.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Melissa Cristina Marquez". HOLA. 2021-09-15. Archived from the original on 2023-02-13. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Melissa Márquez". STEM Women. Archived from the original on 2023-01-07. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  3. ↑ "Chondrichthyan | Definition, Species, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2025-08-05.
  4. 1 2 "Márquez". Forbes. 2021. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
  5. ↑ "Meet Melissa". Melissa Cristina Marquez. Archived from the original on 2023-01-13. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Mother of Sharks". only.one. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  7. ↑ "For 'Mother of Sharks' Melissa Cristina Marquez, Her Biggest Fear Is Not Seeing These "Misunderstood Predators" at Sea". InStyle. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  8. ↑ Passionate about sharks. (2019, January 27). CE Noticias Financieras: English. Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current.
  9. ↑ Marquez, Melissa (2017-06-27). "Meet Melissa Marquez, a shark scientist passionate about the diverse representation of sharks, their relatives, and the scientists that study them!". The female Scientist. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  10. 1 2 "Interview with Melissa Cristina Márquez". Shark Research Institute. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  11. 1 2 "Shark Hero Talks: Melissa Cristina Marquez". Sharkophile. 2020-10-30. Archived from the original on 2023-01-13. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  12. ↑ "People". WOMEN IN OCEAN SCIENCE. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  13. ↑ Museum of science, Boston announces winners of the 2021 reach out science slam communication challenge. (2021, May 06). Targeted News Service Retrieved from Proquiest.
  14. ↑ Shiffman D. (2018, July 28). Snatching science from jaws of hype - Analysis Shark Week. The Washington Post. Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current
  15. ↑ "Wild Survival #1:Crocodile Rescue!". shop.scholastic.com. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
  16. 1 2 Gutierrez, T. (2021, 11). Dream kits. Allure, 31 Retrieved from ProQuest.