Students and educators from Palm Springs Community Middle School spent a day conducting shark research onboard the R/V ANGARI alongside the ANGARI crew and scientists from Florida International University (FIU).
EXPEDITION DETAILS
September 25, 2026
Palm Beach County, FL
Sophia Hemsi
Jordan Meckstroth
William Sample
Emily Spurgeon
Alondra Vidales
All sharks were fished for, caught, studied and released for research purposes under Florida permits held by Florida International University scientists.
Students and educators from Palm Springs Community Middle School joined ANGARI Foundation for an exciting day of marine science as part of the Coastal Ocean Explorers: Sharks program. Working alongside scientists from Florida International University’s (FIU) College of Arts, Sciences and Education, students explored the Lake Worth Lagoon aboard the R/V ANGARI to gain firsthand experience with the tools and techniques used in shark research.
The expedition began with an introduction to baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVS), a noninvasive research tool used to observe marine life in its natural habitat. Students worked with the science team to assemble and deploy a BRUVS in the Lake Worth Lagoon. While the camera recorded underwater, students practiced identifying local marine species using footage collected during previous ANGARI expeditions and through the Global FinPrint project. This activity offered a closer look at how underwater video surveys contribute to our understanding of marine ecosystems and support shark research and conservation efforts.
With the BRUVS retrieved, the team moved to a new location in the lagoon to begin setting drumlines, specialized fishing gear used to capture sharks for scientific research. Students worked alongside FIU scientists to assemble and deploy the equipment, taking an active role in the research process and helping reset their lines throughout the day. Excitement spread across the group when a nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) was caught on one of the drumlines!
Once the shark was safely secured alongside the vessel, students had the opportunity to participate in a scientific workup with guidance from the research team. They assisted with collecting body measurements and tissue samples, as well as inserting a spaghetti tag from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Cooperative Shark Tagging Program (NOAA CSTP) underneath the sharks’ dorsal fin. Students and educators also examined its dermal denticles, the tiny tooth-like structures that give shark skin its distinctive rough texture.
As the expedition came to a close, students reflected on their experiences and engaged the science team with thoughtful questions about shark research, conservation and the work being conducted by FIU scientists throughout South Florida. From deploying underwater cameras to collecting scientific data from a nurse shark, the Palm Springs Community Middle School group experienced the many ways researchers study these animals.
Through Coastal Ocean Explorers: Sharks, ANGARI Foundation continues to connect students with marine scientists and provide meaningful, hands-on opportunities to explore the science happening in their own backyard.
This expedition was made possible with funding from the Palm Beach International Boat Show Gives Back grant program.
CHIEF SCIENTIST
Emily Spurgeon grew up in Minnesota before moving to California to earn her B.S. in Biological Sciences from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. She then joined the California State University, Long Beach Shark Lab, where she completed her M.S. studying the movement and behavior of juvenile white sharks in Southern California nursery habitats. Her research combined acoustic telemetry, autonomous underwater vehicles, aerial drones, and real-time tracking to understand the fine-scale behavior of juvenile white sharks and how they interact with their environment. Following her masters, Emily continued at the Shark Lab as a full-time research technician, leading field research, mentoring students, and participating in extensive public outreach and science communication. Emily is now a Ph.D. candidate in the Predator Ecology and Conservation Lab at Florida International University under the advisement of Dr. Yannis Papastamatiou. Her research investigates how environmental conditions shape the movement, behavior, and resource use of large coastal sharks, including juvenile white, bull, and sandbar sharks. By integrating acoustic telemetry, biologging camera tags, and stable isotope analysis, she examines how sharks adjust their behavior across habitats while maintaining their ecological roles. In addition to her doctoral research, Emily continues to work as a research technician with Saving the Blue, contributing to shark research and conservation initiatives throughout The Bahamas and eastern Florida. Emily currently serves as lead scientist for ANGARI’s Palm Beach County based Coastal Ocean Explorers: Sharks program aboard R/V ANGARI.
