“A lot of people when you think of sharks, you think of hammerheads, great white sharks, tiger sharks, but there’s so much more diversity than just that. There’s over 500 different species and on average we’re discovering new species every two weeks, not just of sharks, but also their cousins, the stingrays, skates and sometimes the chimeras as well. And so knowing that diversity exists, for me it’s really important to get that message out there.”

Melissa Cristina Márquez is a multi-hyphenate Latina in STEM. Currently a PhD candidate at Curtin University, Márquez is interested in what environmental factors influence the composition and distribution of elasmobranchs using a variety of marine technology. She has become a household name via her Scholastic books (the "Wild Survival" series), freelance environmental issue articles, and TV presenter roles (BBC, Discovery Channel, National Geographic, and OceanX). Host of the "ConCiencia Azul" Spanish podcast, Melissa is passionate about making the scientific industry more diverse and inclusive, including making all of her educational content bilingual. With over 40,000 followers on social media, her platforms are filled with fun games (e.g. "Name That Shark," "ID That Ocean Critter," "Marine Tech Mondays," etc) that make learning about wildlife exciting! Featured in numerous media articles (GQ, People Chica, USA Today, etc), a Forbes "30 Under 30" honoree, and listed as one of InStyle's "BadAss Women for 2021," Melissa is currently aboard the OceanXplorer in the Atlantic Ocean as a scientific advisor/natural history show presenter.

· www.melissacristinamarquez.com

· www.oneplanetpodcast.org
· www.creativeprocess.info