Sharks Don't Sink

Adventures of a Rogue Shark Scientist

By: Jasmin Graham

Narrated by: Jasmin Graham

The uplifting story of a young Black scientist’s challenging journey to flourish outside the traditional confines of academia, inspired by her innate connection to nature’s most misunderstood animal—the shark.

"Jasmin Graham has that winning combination of talent and grit needed to excel as a scientist. Every girl who wants to be a marine biologist should have this book." —Hope Jahren, New York Times bestselling author of Lab Girl and The Story of More

Sharks have been on this planet for over 400 million years, so there is a lot they can teach us about survival and adaptability. For example: how do sharks, which unlike other fish are denser than water, stay afloat? They keep moving. When Jasmin Graham, an award-winning young shark scientist, started to feel that the traditional path to becoming a marine biologist was pulling her under, she remembered this important lesson: keep moving forward.

If navigating the choppy waters of traditional academic study was no longer worth it, then that meant creating an ocean of her own. Jasmin joined with three other Black women to form Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS), an organization dedicated to providing support and opportunities for other young women of color. She became an independent researcher: a rogue shark scientist, seeking ways to keep these extraordinary endangered creatures swimming free—just like her.

Sharks Don’t Sink is a riveting, moving, and ultimately triumphant memoir at the intersection of science and social justice: a guidebook to how we can all learn to respect and protect some of nature’s most misunderstood and vulnerable creatures—and grant the same grace to ourselves.

Inspiring and Relatable

Jasmin, the author, is very honest, brave and is an inspiration. It was a good story with a great ending.
As a woman scientist who started college in the mid 80s, I can relate to so much of what she's been through.
Jasmin, thank you for writing this and putting your experience out there! It will help so many people feel less alone in their own experiences.

Required Reading for Everyone (or it should be!)

Jasmin Graham, through her own personal storytelling, effectively verbalizes the pitfalls of:
1. academia when it comes to students who don’t fit the status quo mold;
2. being a racial and gender minority in the professional world.

Chapters 7 and 10 were especially informative and emboldening. Graham’s fire to affect change is contagious. This is a book I’d highly recommend EVERYONE read. I have a feeling it’s a book I’ll be rereading often.

An important voice in marine biology

Excellent memoir for anyone interested in sharks, but especially those who have been kept out of the field of marine biology due to their race, gender, or lack of financial resources. MISS is a great organization, and this book by one of it's cofounders is a great read! It's clear that the author is new to narration, but she tells her story with heart and authenticity. I love her lessons about making a new table, and carving out her own space.

It was a heartfelt and compelling slice of memoir and science education. Beautifully written!

Jasmine gave a passionate and honest snapshot of herself, her family, and the continuing struggle of minorities trying to find their voice in America. We need to hear more of these voices! Thank you Jasmine! As a science nerd myself, a minority, and a librarian this memoir filled every cup for me and I'm spreading the word that it must be read!:)

a passionate scientist

I appreciate hearing the very personal experience of Jasmin Graham coming up in the reactionary environment she faced. She tells of difficulty with the humans (every woman or person of color in STEAM knows which humans) but also of the pure joy of chasing understanding through the methods of science. It's particularly interesting to hear how she is accomplishing this outside of the established institutions! Interesting and I would recommend it to nonscientists for insight into an often misunderstood profession, and to academics of all stripes for insight into why diversity is so important and how to nurture it.