Demian Chapman is an adjunct professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at FIU and the director of the Sharks and Rays Conservation Program at Mote Marine Laboratory. A molecular ecologist by training, he led the Global FinPrint project and studies the global trade in shark fins and meat.
He has published more than 100 scientific papers and appeared on the BBC and the Discovery Channel. His efforts have contributed to species protection in the form of a shark sanctuary in the Bahamas, improved shark and ray management in Belize, and the listing and implementation of trade restrictions for multiple shark and ray species on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), to name a few. In the next phase of the project, Demian will continue to lead the FinPrint team in using the results to better protect sharks and rays.