PhD Candidate
Florida International University
Frances Farabaugh is a native of San Diego where she grew up exploring the beaches, tide pools and kelp beds of Southern California. She graduated with a B.S. in 2014 from Humboldt State University with a double major in Marine Biology & Zoology and a minor in Scientific Diving. Her passion for biology and science outreach has taken her all over the world and including work as an Aquanaut at Aquarius Reef Base, and work with the Global FinPrint Program in French Polynesia. She is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in the Heithaus Lab at Florida International University. Her research focuses on behavioral ecology of marine predators. In particular, she is using a variety of video techniques to elucidate the role sharks play in structuring reef communities, through investigating questions surrounding topics such as predation risk effects and the drivers of relative abundance and diversity of sharks and rays.
Frances enjoys sharing her passion for sharks and science with others. She has been featured on National Geographic Shark Fest and has several quirky science communication podcasts. She is a co-host and producer of the podcast Madame Curiosity (@MadCuriePodcast), where women in STEM talk about the important historical women of science you (may) have never heard of. She is also a co-host of the marine science podcast Ocean Science Radio, and a cast member of the marine biology & conservation themed Dungeons & Dragons podcast Dugongs and Seadragons. You can get all of your #FunFactswith Frances on Twitter: @Nffarabaugh.