When working with Sharklab ADRIA, there will never be a moment of boredom. There are constant new and exciting opportunities, and there are moments that I will never forget. Never before have I had the pleasure of working with such a vast network of friends while constantly feeling like I am learning. I had an absolute blast in my first internship and an unforgettable experience during my thesis.
Both internships have really changed my life! If Sharklab ADRIA is the living body where my aspirations thrive, then Andrej and Emina are undeniably its brilliant mind and compassionate heart. The level of knowledge I gained was phenomenal, and the field of experience was expanded in a monumental way. Thank you for the opportunity to not only learn to be a scientist but to be a more accomplished person.
Gajić & Martin, 2025
Fisheries Management and Ecology
The First Evidence of Long-Term Survival of Galeus melastomus Following Release From Bottom Longline Fisheries
De Loose et al., 2025
Marine Pollution Bulletin
Trace element concentration and toxicity in Mustelus punctulatus from the Adriatic Sea: Implications for consumer safety
Gajić et al., 2025
Journal of Fish Biology
First description of leucism in deep-sea angular rough shark and first pigment disorder in rough sharks
During our internship program, our interns conducted fishery monitoring and comprehensive examinations to assess the presence of diseases, parasites, and basic biological traits, including food preferences and reproductive patterns. Our focus centered on the rarest and most threatened species, aiming to deliver crucial data essential for their conservation efforts.
This internship was life-changing for my career. I discovered a whole new perspective on my work and realized that I’m truly devoted to it. I really appreciated the fact that the internship was a mix of lab work, field work, lectures, and fruitful discussions. I had core memories that will never be forgotten. Andrej and Emina’s support has left me more inspired than ever and prepared to advance my career in shark conservation.
This internship was an exceptional experience, offering the unique chance to work with extremely rare elasmobranch species, to do a reserach on microplastics. It was far more enriching than a bachelor’s or even a master’s degree, as every aspect was studied in depth and applied in the lab.This total immersion is an extraordinary opportunity that all elasmobranch enthusiasts should seize.
Getting hands-on experience with some of the most threatened and elusive animals on earth was an unforgettable and enriching experience! The internship covered a vast variety of different skills! Andrej and Emina made me feel at home from day one and I could not have asked for better supervisors. I feel more inspired than ever and fully prepared to advance my career in conservation.
We encountered a variety of rare and deep-sea species, while Andrej and Emina always ensured the work was super interesting and informative! As a team, we had a great balance of working hard but also having a lot of fun. The highlight of team-building activities had to be paragliding from 900m high and landing on a beach. I left feeling satisfied, inspired and more equipped to continue my career in shark conservation.
MEET YOUR SUPERVISOR
Andrej Gajić is a Ph.D. researcher in veterinary medicine with M.Sc. in marine biology and conservation. Despite growing up in a war-torn country, Andrej always dreamed of working with sharks. Today, he is experienced principal investigator and awarded scientist with over 80 publications. Andrej have successfully overseen 25 regional research projects and lectured numerous conferences across United States, Europe and Africa. As head scientist, he had assignments for National Geographic and Discovery Channel. His research has been featured in over 300 media outlets, including Nat Geo, FOX, Discovery, Warner Bros., CNN affiliates, and many others.
2022 Ambassador of the Mediterranean
Appointed by Barcelona Convention
2021 Special Governmental Recognition
for extraordinary scientific results
2020 Early Career Leadership
for research by National Geographic
2019 Man of the Year award
Balkan regional award by LadiesIn
MEET YOUR HOST
Emina is currently transitioning from her role as a human nurse in a hospital to becoming a nurse for sharks and rays, focusing on the rehabilitation and specialized care for injured individuals. She has been deeply involved in various critical projects, including the in-vitro incubation of fetuses from critically endangered spiny butterfly rays and vulnerable smooth-hounds. Additionally, she has contributed to the revival efforts of some rare and elusive deep-sea species. Furthermore, Emina serves as the technical coordinator for educational and laboratory research conducted at Sharklab, overseeing tasks such as pathological examinations, MRI examinations, and morphological analysis.
Important info
The contribution fee directly supports our research and covers accommodation, transportation between project sites (by land or sea), training and lectures, interactive workshops, field and lab work, and long-lasting scientific support.
Please note that the fee does not cover transportation to Albania, transfer to accommodation, mandatory health and/or travel insurance, meals, or personal expenses.
Limited scholarships are available for low-income countries and in exceptional cases. Upon completion, participants receive an recommendation letter.
Please complete the form by submitting your basic data, along with a short motivation letter and your CV. If you encounter any technical issues, feel free to email us your application instead.
Rest assured that our senior officers will respond to you promptly.
we are looking forward to speak with you
E-mail: interns@sharklab-adria.org
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Designed and developed: A. Gajić
