Alumnus Chris Malinowski Makes Waves in Netflix's 'All the Sharks'

From Our Halls to Your Screen 

Chris Malinowski, Ph.D., a leading marine biologist and seasoned scientist, joins ALL THE SHARKS, a new Netflix series, as a fearless researcher and advocate for ocean conservation. Malinowski isn’t the only alum taking center stage in the new Netflix series, he is joined by alumna Rosie Moore, who is on a competing team in the show. 

Malinowski is an affiliate scientist at Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, an alumnus who earned his M.S. in Biology ‘11 from the College, and director of research and conservation at the Ocean First Institute. Malinowski collaborated extensively with shark researcher and professor Stephen Kajiura, Ph.D. during his graduate studies at Florida Atlantic, conducting shark research in the field and now co-advises a graduate student focused on shark ecology in the Florida Keys. 

Premiering globally on July 4 on Netflix, "ALL THE SHARKS" is a high-octane conservation competition that follows four teams of shark scientists and explorers as they race across six countries in a mission to spot and document the most shark species – all for a cause. Set in stunning locations including the Maldives, the Galápagos Islands, the Bahamas, South Africa, Japan and Australia, the series challenges teams to identify and photograph as many shark species as possible. The rarer the species, the more points they earn. At stake: a $50,000 prize to be donated to the marine conservation charity of the winning team’s choice. ALL THE SHARKS isn’t just an exhilarating global adventure – it’s also a celebration of shark biodiversity and a call to action for ocean conservation.   

How did you get involved in Netflix's ALL THE SHARKS series? 

When a producer contacted me for an interview, I came prepared with just as many questions for him – as scientists, we need to ensure any media opportunity maintains scientific integrity while reaching broad audiences!  

After a follow-up interview, we went radio silent for months. Then boom – we got the call that we made the cut! To this day, it's a mystery how we were selected, but we feel incredibly lucky to have been chosen and are so grateful to Netflix and all of the producers for creating a show that puts sharks and marine science in the spotlight. What an incredible opportunity to represent shark science on a global stage and show the world why these animals matter! 

What is a standout moment for you from the series? 

Without spoiling the competition, I had mind-blowing encounters with massive tiger sharks, humpback whales, and thriving coral reefs in some of the planet's most remote locations. Seeing such incredible natural beauty up close, over and over again, was absolutely surreal – like living in a nature documentary!  

Racing between biodiversity hotspots gave me this incredible bird's-eye view of ocean life that completely flipped my conservation despair into pure hope – knowing these underwater paradises still exist out there!  

Equally amazing was working alongside other passionate ocean and conservation advocates from all different backgrounds. We made lifelong friends and formed a network of people who are all fighting for the same cause from different angles – that community aspect was truly special and will continue long after the cameras stopped rolling. 

What was your role in the show? 

We were the "Shark Docs" – the Ph.D.-powered team bringing serious academic firepower to the competition! While other teams had various backgrounds and other strengths, my teammate Brendan and I weaponized our research skills, diving deep into scientific publications and REEF data to strategically hunt down sharks and rays – using a camera, of course. Our hardcore scientific diving training and pure nerdy excitement for these animals became our secret weapons. 

Following each episode, we will release original educational content on shark research and ocean conservation on Instagram @shark_docs and YouTube @SharkDocs. 

How did FAU shape your career path? 

My master's at FAU in the Schmidt College of Science was where I truly learned to think like a scientist – formalizing research questions, designing robust studies, and discovering my passion for marine research.  

I immersed myself in everything from Everglades wading bird ecology to marine mammal research in the Bahamas with Dr. Denise Herzing, plus extensive work in Dr. Steve Kajiura's renowned shark lab. This multidisciplinary experience helped to shape my holistic view of marine ecosystems and conservation challenges, setting the stage perfectly for my path towards my doctorate at FSU and to my current position as Director of Research & Conservation at Ocean First Institute, where I now spearhead innovative research projects, build strategic collaborations, and design life-changing educational experiences in the field. 

What research do you lead at Ocean First Institute?

My research tackles ocean health from every angle – investigating how pollutants like microplastics, mercury, and pharmaceuticals impact apex predators like sharks and Goliath Grouper through tissue analysis, while using tagging and acoustic telemetry to understand how human activities affect the movement and survival of economically and ecologically important fish species.  

Our lab combines catch data, underwater and drone surveys, and tagging data to track long-term population trends in marine megafauna. In fact, my graduate student Ethan Dewald is using these datasets for his master's thesis at Florida Atlantic with co-advisor, Schmidt College of Science professor, Dr. Stephen Kajiura.  

But research is only half the mission – I'm equally passionate about education, leading field courses in the Florida Keys, running community science programs where high school students conduct real research, and mentoring the next generation of marine scientists. Through extensive outreach and science communication, we're not just studying ocean problems – we're training future leaders to solve them! 

What should people know about sharks? 

Sharks deserve respect, not fear! Those dramatic attack scenes you see on TV represent incredibly rare events – you're statistically more likely to be struck by lightning. These apex predators are the ocean's quality control system, maintaining healthy fish populations by removing sick individuals and controlling prey species. Without sharks, entire marine ecosystems collapse into chaos.  

 

Photos courtesy of Netflix and Chris Malinowski, Ph.D.