Alumnus Is First to Artificially Inseminate a Shark

BY SCOTT QUEEN

Just a few years ago, Isaac Lippert, ‘18, was spending much of his time in Stedman Hall as a marine biology major. He was making occasional visits to Professor Greg Thurmon’s, ’77, home for a hot meal, and generally enjoying his life as a college student.

Now he’s married to his high school sweetheart, CMU alumna Lauren Lippert, ’20, and he recently made international news as part of a team that successfully completed the artificial insemination of a shark.

Lippert, who works for Ripley’s Aquarium in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, said the sand tiger shark that was born is named Rip, and he is doing very well.

“He was born March 24 and has grown significantly and was in a tank with some other species, but we had to separate him,” Lippert said.

Rip realized he was a shark and started taking some nibbles out of his neighbors. Lippert said Rip is in an offsite area now where he is carefully fed and monitored, and will eventually be moved into the shark tank at the aquarium where the staff can tell his story.

Lippert is proud of his 20-person husbandry team, veterinarians, and researchers, but said the monumental accomplishment didn’t get quite the publicity he and his bosses thought. Nevertheless, they are thrilled with the “monumental birth” and the chance to sustain their own shark population.

He said he is also proud of is alma mater and influence from his professors and classmates.

“Central is a close-knit place,” he said. “Greg Thurmon and Barb came to my wedding. There’s a proud legacy in marine biology at Central. Memories are created, and we’re all prepared so well for the next step. I know I was. I wouldn’t have been able to do all this without Central.”