SARASOTA, Fla. — The United States Postal Service is honoring a trailblazing woman whose passion for the sea inspired one local Tampa Bay area aquarium.
A forever stamp showcasing Dr. Eugenie "Genie" Clark, affectionately known as the "Shark Lady", is available now. A ceremony to reveal the stamp was held Wednesday at Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium in Sarasota on what would've been Clark's 100th birthday.
Throughout her life, Clark worked tirelessly to change public perception of sharks as well as preserve marine environments. She was the scientist behind a series of groundbreaking experiments which included training lemon sharks, disproving that sharks needed to swim to survive and debunking myths about sharks being fearsome creatures.
Her research was also known for embracing new advances in technology. Clark took more than 70 trips in high-tech submersibles, sometimes reaching 12,000 feet beneath the ocean surface.
Clark was recognized with countless awards and even inspired two Florida philanthropists to fund a small laboratory in Sarasota where she could conduct her work, later becoming Mote Marine Laboratory.
Eugenie Clark died in 2015 at the age of 92 in Sarasota.