Founded in 1990, the Bimini Biological Field Station (BBFS) aka ‘Sharklab’ is operated by Dr. Samuel H. Gruber and his wife Mariko. Dr. Gruber came to Bimini decades ago after discovering what a vital habitat the islands were to an array of marine life, especially the lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris).
The station was set up as a place for Dr. Gruber, and his students, to carry out field research on elasmobranchs full time. BBFS is organized, and run similar to the research vessels which Dr. Gruber spent much of his scientific career working on.
The Sharklab offers subsidized internships to persons 18 or older who wish to learn field research skills. Our approach is to integrate students with active marine scientists from around the globe. We thus support about ten international interns monthly, for periods up to 12 months.
Interns experience a unique opportunity to take part in our intense field research, learning practical and theoretical skills that will enhance their prospects as future scientists. They live at the station with our staff, which includes two full-time PhDs, three PhD students and five professional managers.
The Sharklab depends on the efforts of dedicated volunteers to accomplish our research and since its inception the station has hosted approximately 800 interns from around the globe.
