Giants presenting.jpg

Dr Jack A Cooper

Palaeobiologist | Science Communicator | “Megalodon” expert | Shark advocate

Available for speaking, writing and consulting engagements

A wee bit about me

Dr Jack Cooper has been “mad about sharks” since childhood. With a masters in palaeobiology from the University of Bristol, and a PhD from Swansea University, he is now an internationally recognised expert in shark biology and palaeobiology; particularly of the famous “megalodon”. Today, he is a passionate science communicator dedicated to using storytelling to promote knowledge and conservation of sharks worldwide. He is the author of several scientific papers and hit media articles, including in The Guardian and The Conversation. He has also appeared on TV to present his research and has consulted for books, museums and documentaries. This website showcases his entire portfolio in science communication, and gives you the chance to hire him for speaking, writing or other media engagements.

Fun facts about Jack:

  • He has cage dived with great white sharks in South Africa.

  • “Jaws” remains his favourite movie and he has appeared multiple times on the podcast Let’s Jaws For a Minute dedicated to the film.

  • He is a cat person.

Dr Jack Cooper presenting for the documentary "Giants"

Testimonials

  • “Jack possesses the rare talent of being able to translate scientific knowledge based on fossil data to the general public by captivating his audience.”

    Dr Catalina Pimiento

    - Associate Professor, Swansea University

  • “Jack Cooper is more familiar with the meg than just about anybody. Including Jason Statham.”

    Steve Backshall

    - Renowned explorer/Naturalist

    - Spoken while presenting “Monsters of the Deep” (Mentorn Media/Channel 5)

  • “There’s a lot of nonsense talked about giant sharks, modern and ancient, but Jack Cooper talks about them on the basis of his deep and thoughtful analytical studies.”

    Prof Mike Benton, OBE, FRS, FRSE

    - Professor of Vertebrate Palaeontology, University of Bristol

  • “Dr Cooper has an infectious enthusiasm for all things sharks and prehistoric life. He's a rising star in the world of SciComm.”

    Dr Dean Lomax

    - Acclaimed palaeontologist, author and TV host

  • "Jack was our megalodon expert for our traveling exhibition. One of a kind! He went to great lengths to give the right info, down to the smallest detail. And always tailored to our target audience! It was a pleasure working with Jack and we would recommend him to anyone!"

    Sophie Boitsios

    - Exhibition developer at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences

  • "I’ve known Jack since 2018 when he was an intern with White Shark Africa, and his passion and depth of knowledge in ichthyology, particularly during our in-depth discussions about megalodons and white sharks, were truly impressive! I’ve always admired his unmatched tenacity for uncovering ocean truths, which was further solidified while collaborating on his The Guardian article about the orcas, Port and Starboard"

    Esther Jacobs

    - Communications and sustainability manager, Earth Legacy Foundation

  • "Jack has been a guest on our podcast a number of times and he is always an absolute delight to work with. He is incredibly knowledgeable, but also easily able to adapt his vast knowledge in a way that makes it understandable to our audience ... and he's more than happy to answer all of our very dumb questions which is much appreciated!"

    Sarah Buddery & MJ Smith

    - Hosts of the acclaimed Let’s Jaws For A Minute podcast

  • "Dr. Jack Cooper is a dynamo of science communication, able to make science palatable and digestible to audiences ranging from specialist scientists to the general public, with enthusiasm, motivation and sincerity backing up his broad and deep expertise in sharks"

    Prof John Hutchinson, FRS

    - Professor of Evolutionary Biomechanics, Royal Veterinary College

  • "Jack's expertise, enthusiasm, and skill made the megalodon - in all its behemoth, teeth-gnashing glory - not so scary a subject for us to tackle. There's no one I'd rather go to to figure out how many bites it would take for a megalodon to eat an entire sperm whale."

    Cella Wight

    - Senior Editorial Producer, TED-Ed

  • "Jack is a rare breed in marine biology—an expert who seamlessly blends multiple disciplines into his skillset without losing an ounce of humility. His science communication skills are top-tier, and working with him was an absolute pleasure"

    Dr Alison Towner

    - Marine Biologist, South African International Maritime Institute and Rhodes University

  • "Jack Cooper is a fantastic collaborator in science communication! His expertise and enthusiasm were instrumental in bringing the Megalodon exhibit at Oriel Science to life!"

    Daphne Giannoulatou

    - Creative & Marketing Manager, Oriel Science, Swansea

  • "Dr Jack Cooper has an amazing ability, not only understand the science, but to communicate it in a way that is both clear and entertaining, all with a health dollop of infectious enthusiasm"

    Dr Will Perry

    - Researcher, Cardiff University

    - Publicity Coordinator, Fisheries Society of the British Isles

    - Senior Editor, Journal of Fish Biology

  • "Our students loved hearing about the Meg from Jack. He has managed to bring current science into our classroom and shown where science can lead young people in the future"

    Keren Lovie

    - Biology teacher

  • "Whenever anything I work on involves extinct sharks, Jack is the first name on my list to call. Nobody has more passion and knowledge on the subject than the man, the meg, the legend"

    Rhys Charles

    - Public Engagement Officer, University of Bristol/Bristol Dinosaur Project

    - Author of “Frozen in Time: Fossils of the United Kingdom and Where To Find Them”