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UMassD alum and shark expert Dr. Craig P. O鈥機onnell tests his harmless shark repellent on recent episode of Shark Week

Shark attacks are on the rise. And alum Dr. O鈥機onnell, who studied shark magnetoreception at UMassD鈥檚 School for Marine Science & Technology (SMAST) and earned his PhD in 2014, believes he鈥檚 developed a system that promotes co-existence between humans and sharks.

A marine biologist and shark specialist, O鈥機onnell regularly spans the biosphere to lead scientific voyages and engage in the development of new conservation-based technology, such as his Sharksafe barrier 鈥� a non-lethal, magnetic deterrent technology. 

If you were one of the millions of viewers who tuned into Shark Week earlier this month, you witnessed O'Connell's daring adventure to prove his magnetic system repels great white sharks.

鈥孫ver the past eight to 10 years, O鈥機onnell has been diving in South Africa, which has involved building the barrier made of anchors and pipes under water. The barrier is currently deployed in South Africa and is well over 100 feet in length, and it enables O鈥機onnell and his team to chum through the waters to observe if great white sharks will cross the barrier to get to bait. O鈥機onnell has also completed a similar expedition with bull sharks and great hammerhead sharks as the focal species in Bimini, the westernmost borough in the Bahamas.

We hope that one day, this non-invasive technology is adopted and will serve as an eco-friendly alternative to detrimental beach nets and furthermore act as a means to help sharks and people to peacefully co-exist.

While O鈥機onnell鈥檚 profession as a shark specialist sounds daringly exciting, it has its challenges. 鈥淭he biggest challenge we often face underwater is visibility. Some days the water is perfectly clear and within seconds the visibility will change to less than 3 feet.  This often makes for a very abbreviated dive because murky water and large white sharks aren鈥檛 the best recipe for safety.鈥�

Despite the potential of being confronted with white sharks that have been reported to weigh over 7,000 pounds maximum and be as lengthy as 20 feet, O鈥機onnell says one learns to become secure when submerged in aquamarine life with these defensive species. 鈥淎fter 60 to 80 dives, you become comfortable because you know what behavioral signals to look for in sharks,鈥� said O鈥機onnell.

If you missed O'Connell testing his harmless, magnetic shark repellent during the Discovery Channel's Shark Week, check out the entire episode of .