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Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation Early Career Travel Award

American Society of Ichthyologists & Herpetologists Student Travel Award

American Fisheries Society

American Elasmobranch Society

International Bio-logging Society

Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation

Western Society of Naturalists

Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society

Multi-taxa marine isoscapes provide insight into large-scale trophic dynamics in the North Pacific

Using pseudo-absence models to test for environmental selection in marine movement ecology: the importance of sample size and selection strength

Remote Sensing and Marine Animal Tags: How Much Data is Needed to Detect Environmental Selection in Marine Predators?

The sociality of Atlantic sturgeon and sand tiger sharks in an estuarine environment

Assessing the Capacity of Pelagic Sharks to Serve as Ocean Observing Platforms in the Mid-Atlantic Bight and Beyond

This week we jump into the world of cookiecutter sharks with expert Dr. Aaron Carlisle! We break down his article, "Integrating multiple chemical tracers to elucidate the diet and habitat of Cookiecutter Sharks" (Carlisle et al. 2021). We discuss the various techniques Carlisle and colleagues used to uncover that cookiecutter sharks eat a much more varied diet than you might expect! We also learn about new biochemical tracer techniques that made this research possible. Learn how Dr. Carlisle tackled this, and buckle up for a rather PG-13 field story at the end! Get ready to jump into the world of cookiecutter sharks!
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Cookiecutter shark diets with Dr. Aaron Carlisle

Dr. Carlisle joined the University of Delaware in 2018 as Assistant Professor of Fisheries Ecology. His research focuses on how the abiotic and biotic environment and organismal biology interact to influence the behavior, distribution and ecology of species, and how these interactions impact their population dynamics, life history strategies, and ecosystem roles. He uses a variety of approaches and technologies, such as stable isotope analysis and biologging, combined in new ways to provide unique insights into marine species.

Dr. Carlisle is a graduate of Stanford University (Ph.D.), Moss Landing Marine Laboratories (M.S.), and Princeton University (A.B.). He is a member of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group and serves on the board of directors of the American Elasmobranch Society.

Stable Isotope Ecology

Evolutionary Biology

Physiological Ecology

Marine Fishes

Biological Sciences

University of Delaware Faculty Profile

The Carlisle Lab at UD Website

ResearchGate Citations

Google Scholar Citations

University of Delaware researches, NOAA use sharks as newest hurricane trackers

How sharks help with forecasting hurricanes

Storm Patrol: Sharks fitted with sensors to predict hurricanes

Shark Tagging Could Help Better Predict Hurricanes

Sharks vs. hurricanes? Scientists say predators can help track huge storms.

Sharknado? The next generation of hurricane forecasters could be sharks

Where will the next big hurricane hit? Ask the sharks.

Mystery of Tuna Covered in Strange Round Holes Explained

Social Sand Tiger Sharks

Partnership to produce oyster larvae would be a Delaware first

Study shows cookie cutter sharks have wider diet than previously thought

Tracking Large Ocean Animals Could Change How We Manage Them

New insights into the trophic ecology of the Cookie Cutter Shark from stable isotope analysis and environmental DNA

Does ENSO Drive Changes in the Trophic Ecology of Juvenile Market Squid?

Niche partitioning and variability in resource use in mesopredators in BIOT

Meghan and Amani are 2 shark researchers exploring sharks and their relatives! Get ready to jump in every-other-week to the world of sharks where Meghan and Amani break down the science with some of the legends in the field.

Sharkpedia

Characterizing the ecological role of apex predators in the  Delaware Bay Ecosystem and their potential impacts on managed species

Development of a new biologging tag to record in-situ oxygen use of fish in the wild

a-year-in-the-spotlight-university-of-delawares-most-notable-media-mentions-of-2025

Experts in science, politics, and pop culture weighed in throughout the year from the University of Delaware.

Associate Professor, Marine Science and Policy

Associate Professor, School of Marine Science and Policy

Assistant Professor, Anthropology; Core Faculty Member, Disaster Research Center

Professor of Energy and the Environment Geography and Spatial Sciences; Biden School of Public Policy and Administration

Director, Delaware Environmental Institute

Professor, Marine Science and Policy

 In 2025, the University of Delaware had many exceptional media mentions. Here are some of the most notable. 

Science  coverage dominated   Where will the next big hurricane hit? Ask the sharks. (The Washington Post) – Aaron Carlisle, a marine ecologist, was featured for his revolutionary work  using sharks to predict major weather events.  Scientists could soon lose a key tool for studying Antarctica's melting ice sheets as climate risks grow (NBC News) – Carlos Moffat, an associate professor and oceanographer, spoke about the national budget and how it's impacting climate research.    These Katrina Survivors Feel Overlooked. Now, They’re Using TikTok to Tell Their Stories (Rolling Stone) – Jennifer Trivedi, a disaster researcher, spoke about why Hurricane Katrina was such a major story.   Malala Yousafzai, Migration and Sustainability (Forbes) – Saleem Ali, a professor of energy and environment, contributed regularly to Forbes on environmental topics.   Scientists went hunting for freshwater deep beneath the Atlantic Ocean. What they found could have global implications (CNN) – Holly Michael, a professor of Earth sciences and civil and environmental engineering, spoke about the history of freshwater.   Engineering Professor Answers Electric Car Questions (WIRED) –  Willett Kempton, a professor of engineering, joined WIRED to answer the internet's most interesting questions about electric cars.   Plastic shopping bag policies are actually working, a new study suggests (CNN) – Kimberly Oremus, associate professor of marine science and policy, was featured in several major outlets on the effectiveness of plastic bag bans.   Insects are dying: here are 25 easy and effective ways you can help protect them (The Guardian) – Douglas Tallamy, an entomologist, was featured in dozens of outlets for his expertise.     Political news coverage was front and center   U.S. Chamber of Commerce sues Trump administration over $100,000 H-1B visa fees (NPR) – Daniel Kinderman, a political science professor, was interviewed for his expertise on a lawsuit involving changes in work visas.   The government shutdown is over, but expect more fights and higher insurance prices to come (Delaware Public Media) – David Redlawsk, a political psychologist, discussed the recent government shutdown and what an end to it signals.    Wrestling Over Charlie Kirk’s Legacy and the Divide in America (The New York Times) – Dannagal Young, a communications professor, commented on how media reacted to the death of Charlie Kirk.   Consequences for colleges whose students carry mountains of debt? Republicans say yes (NPR) – Dominique Baker, associate professor of education, was quoted in multiple national outlets for her education expertise.    General expertise came in clutch   Why the U.S. struggles with passenger service despite having the most rail lines (NPR) – Allan Zarembski, a professor of railroad engineering, was featured in dozens of national publications for his expertise.   From folklore to your front porch: The history of the jack-o'-lantern (NPR) – Cindy Ott, an associate professor of history, detailed the history of this autumn staple in multiple outlets.     Nexstar Media Group buying Tegna in deal worth $6.2 billion (AP) – Danilo Yanich, professor of public policy, noted the ways the media giant duplicates work across networks.   Warren Buffett hired Todd Combs to take over Berkshire's portfolio one day. Here's what close watchers say about his surprise exit. (Business Insider) – Lawrence Cunningham, director of UD's Weinberg Center, was featured throughout the year for his business and economic expertise.   Enlighten Me: How to make your holidays truly happy (Delaware Public Media) – Amit Kumar, a professor of marketing, discussed strategies for finding happiness during the holidays throughout the winter season.   Students and their stories shined throughout the year   Networking: Is it what you know or who you know? (The Chronicle of Higher Education) – UD's career-development office, which assists students on their job journeys, was featured.   U of Delaware Creates Yearlong Co-Ops for Business Students (Inside Higher Ed) – A new partnership with the state of Delaware connects business students to local employers, with the goal of reducing brain drain in the region was featured.   Wilmington’s 'STEM Queen' earns national Obama–Chesky honor (The News Journal/Delaware Online) – Jacqueline Means, a management information systems major, was featured for earning a national recognition.   Vita Nova Restaurant Gives Culinary Students Hands-on Training (Delaware Today) – The student-staffed restaurant, Vita Nova, was featured.   Delaware professor transforms writing class by teaching students to use AI as the technology reshapes the workforce (WHYY) – Matt Kinservik, a professor of English, was featured for teaching students to use AI responsibly, exploring its capabilities and fact-checking tools.  Pop culture experts weighed in 'Stranger Things' expert at UD chats about Netflix show's appeal (The News Journal/Delaware Online) – Siobhan Carroll, an associate English professor, sat down with a reporter to discuss the latest season and how the horror genre is often a mirror of our real world.   “Horrendous And Insulting”: Backlash Erupts Over “Misrepresentation” In 2026 Wuthering Heights (Bored Panda) – Thomas Leitch, an English professor, said that “literal adaptations of classic novels are exceedingly rare, maybe impossible.”  Major changes at UD highlighted  University of Delaware appoints interim president to the permanent post (The Philadelphia Inquirer) – News of UD's new president, Laura A. Carlson, was covered throughout the region.   Retiree learning center gets boost with $1M gift for downstate OLLI classes (Spotlight Delaware) – a large donation to the southern Delaware chapter of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, was featured.   To speak with any of these experts in 2026 on these stories or others, please reach out to MediaRelations@udel.edu. Happy holidays and cheers for a bright and healthy new year!   

A year in the spotlight: University of Delaware’s most notable media mentions of 2025

shark-week-ocean-predators-go-from-villains-to-heroes-helping-to-predict-hurricanes

 Just in time for Shark Week, the ocean's most famous predators are experiencing a redemption arc. Marine ecologists at the University of Delaware have fitted sharks with sensors and sent them out into the Atlantic Ocean to gather data that could help predict  hurricanes. The research is led by UD professors Aaron Carlisle and Matt Oliver and PhD student Caroline Wiernicki.

Enlisting sharks as amateur meteorologists comes at a critical time. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's capacity to forecast hurricanes has been hampered by federal cuts to staff and funding.

Sharks also help speed things up. NOAA has partnered with UD and other Mid-Atlantic universities, which deploy gliders to the continental shelf to collect data that tell researchers what the water column looks like as hurricane season approaches.

The gliders are effective but also slow moving and expensive to deploy and maintain.

The researchers have successfully deployed three tags: two conductivity, temperature and depth (CTD) tags on two mako sharks (for oceanographic data collection); and a satellite tag on one white shark (to help evaluate if that species would be a good candidate for CTD tagging down the road).  

As of July 21, the white shark has been pinging the research team ever since he was tagged in May. He was recently tracked off Martha's Vineyard and has been surfacing every day – showing up in areas like Cape Cod and Long Island. The mako sharks were tagged off of the Delaware coast and swam south, bopping up and down between the Delmarva Peninsula and just north of Cape Hatteras.

Carlisle, Oliver and Wiernicki are available for interviews. To reach Carlisle directly, visit his ExpertFile profile and click on the contact button. Interested journalists can also send an email to MediaRelations@udel.edu. 

Shark Week: Ocean predators go from villains to heroes, helping to predict hurricanes

research-explores-recreational-shark-fishings-impact-on-protected-species

 In Delaware, recreational shark fishing is popular, with anglers taking part in half- and full-day shark fishing trips. However, they are prohibited from keeping protected species of sharks. 

A University of Delaware research team led by Aaron Carlisle, assistant professor in UD's School of Marine Science and Policy (SMSP), is studying the impact of releasing these sharks, aiming to understand their post-release survival and how fishing operations handle them. Carlisle, graduate student Bethany Brodbeck and Ed Hale, assistant professor and aquaculture specialist for Delaware Sea Grant, are conducting the field research for the study, riding along with recreational fishing vessels to better understand what happens to sharks when they are caught and released. 

Another component to the research is being led by George Parsons, E.I. du Pont Professor at UD’s College of Earth, Ocean and Environment, who is looking at the economic aspect, using survey-based research to value the shark fishery and study anglers’ perceptions and attitudes toward sharks and their management.

Carlisle said the two concurrent studies will help gauge the biological and economic impacts of the shark fishery in Delaware. 

“We want to find out how much money the fishery is actually drawing to the economy,” Carlisle said. “We also want to find out how the fishery is actually impacting the populations of sharks in Delaware, especially the protected ones.”

The research was funded by Delaware Sea Grant, which helps  communities wisely use, manage and conserve  coastal resources.

To arrange an interview with Carlisle, simply click on the link to his profile. Pressing the contact button and using the form will send your request directly to him and a member of UD's media relations team. 

Research explores recreational shark fishing's impact on protected species

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