Leading lives of mystery throughout the shadowy depths of all the world’s oceans, sharks have long fascinated the public, in large part because of how little is known about their lives and behavior. Popular media has often promoted images of large, aggressive predators, but as we learn more we find most sharks are not dangerous to people and moreover are a vital part of many healthy ocean ecosystems.

One person who is striving to understand sharks close to home is Scripps Institution’s Dovi Kacev, who takes you on an illuminating journey into the Southern California Bight to learn about the sharks that make our offshore region their home.

Kacev grew up traveling between San Diego and South Africa, where animals and the ocean quickly became his passion. He holds a PhD in ecology from a joint program offered by San Diego State University and UC Davis and a BS in marine biology and economics from UCLA.

Watch Shark Geek: A Window into Shark Ecology in the Southern California Bight.