Unique Experiences
Lunch or Dinner with Dr. Jennifer Schmidt - in Chicago or Evanston, IL
- Item Number
- 51
- Estimated Value
- Priceless
- Sold
- 50 USD to nextproperty
- Number of Bids
- 2 - Bid History
Item Description
Lunch or Dinner with Jennifer V. Schmidt, Ph.D. — Whale Shark DNA study — in Chicago or Evanston, Illinois
Jennifer is a molecular biologist. Her laboratory has spent the past nine years studying the population genetics of the whale shark. DNA sequences, called microsatellites, were isolated from the whale shark genome, and these markers were used to produce genetic “maps” of individual animals sampled at different sites around the world.
In one of her recent studies, Jennifer looked at DNA from whale sharks from the Caribbean to the Indian and Pacific oceans. Results of her study showed little genetic variation between the different populations, indicating the big fish migrate across oceans and breed with other whale shark populations thousands of miles away. It is the most comprehensive study to date on the little-understood shark. It sheds new light on the behavior of the polka-dotted, filter-feeding giant that can reach 50 feet in length and weigh more than 20 tons.
Jennifer is the Director of the Shark Research Institute’s DNA study and has dived with and studied whale sharks in Honduras, Mexico and the Philippines, and works closely with shark researchers around the world.
Item Special Note
Being auctioned is dinner or lunch with one the world’s foremost shark experts or celebrities. It is a unique opportunity to “talk shark” face-to-face, one-on-one, with a real authority on sharks.
How it works:
1. Bid on a celebrity, shark scientist or conservationist that lives or works in your area, unless you are willing to drive or fly to meet them in their area.
2. The winning bidder pays for the lunch or dinner and may bring as many guests as he or she wishes.
3. We will introduce the winning bidder to the celebrity, scientist or conservationist. The two of you then set a mutually agreeable date, time and place to meet within one year of the close of the auction.
All winning bids are charitable contributions deductible from US Federal 2013 income taxes. Funds raised by the auction will be used to support shark research and conservation programs.
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