EVENTS
Public speaking
I am a highly experienced public speaker and science communicator. I have not only presented multiple “best talk” prize-winning talks at academic conferences; but also publicly presented my work on megalodon to schools, museums and universities worldwide. Across all of these talks, I have been revered for my passion and ability to turn the science into compelling narratives for all audiences; and for wearing quirky and memorable shark shirts to go with my talks!
Some of these talks have included leading the Mighty Megalodon family event at the Lapworth Museum of Geology in Birmingham in August 2022, where I spoke to primary school age children and their families about megalodon and the various people who have contributed to its science. At this event, one grandmother expressed surprise that this was my first event.
Another highlight was when I was part of the Skype a Scientist program in spring 2023. In this program, I presented to Cheadle Hulme High School in Manchester about not only my research on megalodon; but also about the career of a palaeontologist. The talk was so popular that two months later, I was back to present my PhD work on shark functional diversity to demonstrate the “three minute thesis” format.
Inspired by the positive reception, I now volunteer with the Sharks4Kids and STEM Ambassador programs.
As well as my presentation work, I also have 4 years experience on the organising committee of the annual WEEN (Welsh Ecology and Evolution Network) event, in which postgraduate students from 4 Welsh universities (Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff and Swansea) come together to showcase their diverse range of work in biosciences. Since then, I am currently serving as a member of the WEEN LTD board of directors.
I find public speaking to diverse audiences of all ages to be one of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of my career. It allows me to tell the story of the science and bring regular people along for the ride.
If you are interested in having me deliver a lecture at your public or private event, or to serve on a panel discussion, then please get in touch!
Museum exhibits
As well as my public speaking experience, I have also served as a consultant for museum exhibits both at home and abroad.
During my PhD at Swansea University, the local science centre, Oriel Science, opened up its Imaging exhibit in June 2023, in which my work on megalodon was one of the exhibits. Specifically, a to-scale recreation of megalodon’s head based on my 2D reconstruction was printed on the floor as part of the exhibit, giving visitors a true sense of the shark’s scale.
My proudest museum consultation, however, was to serve as an advisor to the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels - the national natural history museum for all of Belgium - for their Giants exhibit. This incredible exhibit recreated eleven extinct animals of spectacular proportions. Among them was megalodon - and this was done based on a very special fossil: its most complete fossil spinal column, stored at the museum and the only fossil of its kind in the entire world. Working with project manager Sophie Boitsios, I advised the developers on the proportions of the megalodon and all of the ecological science presented. The exhibit opened in October 2023, which I had the great privilege of attending in Brussels. See the photo of me with the completed model.
The Giants exhibit has gone on to be hailed for its sustainability and for capturing the imaginations of tourists worldwide since its opening.
Working on a museum exhibit featuring megalodon and want my advise? Or perhaps to present a public speaking event alongside it? Then drop me a line!
Past events
Includes both public events and academic conferences
Cooper JA, Mathes GH & Pimiento C, 2024. Temporal and spatial declines of functional diversity in sharks and rays under simulated extinctions. WEEN conference programme and abstract book, p26. Oral presentation for WEEN (Welsh Ecology and Evolution Network) 2024.
Cooper JA, 2024. The future of elasmobranch functional diversity under a changing climate. Swansea University. Oral presentation for the 2024 Swansea University Biosciences PGR Conference.
Cooper JA, 2025. How I got to do a PhD. Swansea University. Oral presentation for the ecology and evolution group at Swansea.
Cooper JA & Pimiento C, 2023. How has the functional diversity of sharks changed over the last 66 million years? WEEN conference programme and abstract book, p17. Oral presentation for WEEN (Welsh Ecology and Evolution Network) 2023.
Cooper JA & Pimiento C, 2023. Shark functional diversity throughout the Cenozoic. 21st Swiss Geoscience Meeting Program booklet, p155. Oral presentation for the 21st Swiss Geosciences Meeting.
Cooper JA & Pimiento C, 2023. How has shark functional diversity changed through geological time? PalAss 2023 abstract book, p37. Oral presentation for the 2023 annual meeting of the Palaeontological Association.
Cooper JA & Pimiento C, 2023. How has shark functional diversity changed through geological time? CPEG 2023 abstract book, p26. Oral presentation for CPEG (Crossing the Palaeontological-Ecological Gap) 2023.
Cooper JA & Pimiento C, 2023. How has shark functional diversity changed through geological time? Fisheries Society of the British Isles Annual International Symposium 2023 abstract book, p126. Poster presentation for the 2023 Fisheries Society of the British Isles Annual International Symposium.
Cooper JA, 2023. Functional diversity of sharks through time: past, present and future. Swansea University. Oral presentation for the 2023 Swansea University Biosciences PGR Conference.
Cooper JA, 2023. Three-minute thesis: Functional diversity of sharks: past, present and future. Cheadle Hulme High School, Manchester. Virtual presentation breaking down my PhD work for pupils to present as their entry to the three-minute thesis competition at their local school.
Cooper JA, 2023. Skype a Scientist: Palaeobiology and Megalodon. Cheadle Hulme High School, Manchester. Virtual presentation as part of the Skype a Scientist program.
Cooper JA & Pimiento C, 2023. How has shark functional diversity changed through geological time? 4th Palaeontological Virtual Congress Book of Abstracts, p106. Oral presentation for the 2023 Palaeontological Virtual Congress.
Cooper JA, 2022. A late maturing giant: Ontogenetic growth of the extinct shark Otodus megalodon and its palaeo-biological implications. WEEN conference programme and abstract book, p22. Oral presentation for WEEN (Welsh Ecology and Evolution Network) 2022.
Cooper JA, 2022. Mighty Megalodon family event. Lapworth Museum of Geology, University of Birmingham. Public speaking event.
Cooper JA, Hutchinson JR, Bernvi DC, Cliff G, Wilson RP, Dicken ML, Menzel J, Wroe S, Pirlo J & Pimiento C, 2022. The extinct shark Otodus megalodon was a transoceanic super-predator: inferences from 3D modelling. Fisheries Society of the British Isles Annual International Symposium 2022 abstract book, p21. Oral presentation for the 2022 Fisheries Society of the British Isles Annual International Symposium.
Cooper JA, Griffin JN & Pimiento C, 2022. Are shark teeth proxies for functional traits? Fisheries Society of the British Isles Annual International Symposium 2022 abstract book, p70. Poster presentation for the 2022 Fisheries Society of the British Isles Annual International Symposium.
Cooper JA, 2022. National Megalodon Day: Morphology and ecology based on 2D & 3D modelling. Calvert Marine Museum. Public speaking event.
Cooper JA, 2022. From giant sharks to a PhD in shark diversity: A brief history of my career so far. University of Vienna. Oral presentation for palaeontology department’s fossil shark group.
Cooper JA, Hutchinson JR, Bernvi DC, Cliff G, Wilson RP, Dicken ML, Menzel J, Wroe S, Pirlo J & Pimiento C, 2021. 3D reconstruction reveals that the extinct giant shark Otodus megalodon was a transoceanic super-predator. The Palaeontological Association Abstract Book 2021, p60. Virtual poster presentation for the 2021 annual meeting of the Palaeontological Association.
Cooper JA, Hutchinson JR, Bernvi DC, Cliff G, Wilson RP, Dicken ML, Menzel J, Wroe S, Pirlo J & Pimiento C, 2021. 3D reconstruction reveals that the extinct giant shark Otodus megalodon was a transoceanic super-predator. WEEN conference programme and abstract book, p11. Oral presentation for WEEN (Welsh Ecology and Evolution Network) 2021.
Cooper JA, Hutchinson JR, Wilson RP, Pirlo J, Dicken ML, Menzel J, Wroe S, Bernvi DC, Cliff G & Pimiento C, 2021. 3D model of the extinct giant shark Otodus megalodon suggests ability to undertake long migrations and a preference for large prey. Progressive Palaeontology Abstract Booklet 2021, p19-20. Virtual oral presentation for Progressive Palaeontology 2021.
Cooper JA, 2021. SMUX Diving – In the Mind of a Shark: The Megalodon. Singapore Management University. Virtual presentation for Singapore Management University’s diving society.
Cooper JA, 2021. More than teeth: megalodon’s morphology and ecology. Natural History Society of Maryland. Virtual public speaking event.
Cooper JA, Pimiento C, Ferrón HG & Benton MJ, 2020. Body dimensions of the extinct giant shark Otodus megalodon: a 2D reconstruction. WEEN conference programme and abstract book, p18. Virtual oral presentation for WEEN (Welsh Ecology and Evolution Network) 2020.
Cooper JA, Hutchinson JR, Dicken ML, Menzel J & Pimiento C, 2020. A 3D reconstruction of the extinct giant shark Otodus megalodon. Progressive Palaeontology Abstract Booklet 2020, p43. Virtual poster presentation for Progressive palaeontology 2020.
Cooper JA, Benton MJ & Pimiento C, 2019. External anatomy of the extinct megalodon. Progressive Palaeontology Abstract Booklet 2019, p35. Poster presentation for Progressive palaeontology 2019.
Speaking prizes and other awards
2024: Best 10-minute talk (runner-up) – Swansea University Biosciences PGR Conference
2023: Best Oral Presentation (runner-up) – WEEN 2023
2023: Best 10-minute talk – Swansea University Biosciences PGR Conference
2022: Best Oral Presentation – Fisheries Society of the British Isles Symposium 2022
2022: International Travel Grant – University of Florida
2021: Best Oral Presentation – WEEN 2021
2020: Best Oral Presentation – WEEN 2020
2020: PhD Studentship – Fisheries Society of the British Isles
2018: Dean’s List – University of St Andrews