Dr. Samuel Gruber has been studying sharks for almost 40 years, and is considered one of the world's foremost shark experts. Currently based at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Gruber mounts frequent tropical expeditions to study the genetics, biology, and behavior of these sleek and mysterious predators.

Dr. Gruber began his highly successful scientific career by focusing on understanding the visual systems of sharks and rays. This early research yielded many surprizes. At the time, sharks were thought to be nearly blind, but Gruber's studies indicated exquisitely adapted visual systems.

Currently, this noted scientist is trying to understand the life cycle and breeding habits of lemon sharks--such data will be essential to formulating meaningful protection and management plans for threatened shark species and habitats. To this end, Gruber is engaged in a series of genetic studies of various lemon shark populations.

Gruber will be putting many scientific hunches to the test on his mission with @Sea. Among these are his hypotheses that lemon sharks, like salmon, return to their birthplace to mate and give birth, and that lemon sharks are on a two-year birth cycle--getting pregnant one year and resting the next.