Being a Black women in STEM and especially in marine science means emotionally preparing yourself for being the only one in the room. I recently had an experience that I want to discuss and hope you’ll read about⬇️ Every time I enter a scientific space, I am mentally prepared to stick out. I go in with the expectation that I’ll be the only one because there can’t be disappointment when I am if I had no hopes in the first place.

Anyone who has touched a shark would say they feel smooth going in one direction and rough going the other. Why you might ask? WELL, it’s because elasmobranchs have dermal denticles, a type of placoid scale that no other fish have. #SharkWeek 1/ Their shape and size varies across species! Even crazier, they are modified teeth and are covered in enamel. 2/