Shireen Rahimi

Dr. Shireen Rahimi is an environmental anthropologist, filmmaker, underwater photographer, freediver, National Geographic Explorer, and frankly... a bit indecisive. For her PhD at Abess, Shireen studied the effects of the El Niño Southern Oscillation on the artisanal algae fishery in Northern Chile, coral reef conservation in Cuba, and human-lionfish interactions in The Bahamas (again, make up your mind). Throughout her time at Abess, Shireen incorporated visual ethnographic methods (including photography and video) into her scientific research and data collection methods. In 2017, she was awarded a National Geographic Early Career grant, which helped fund the underwater photography and video aspects of her research. In 2020, when she finished her PhD and escaped from Kenny’s tyrannical rule, Shireen decided to run from her trauma and leave academia. Later that year she founded Lightpalace, a Miami-based production company specializing in environmental visual storytelling. With her work, Shireen tells stories about unconventional human relationships with the natural world that are informed by science, infused with poetry, and driven by emotion. She has been featured as a contributor on National Geographic Sharkfest and ABC’s Localish, and was named Nautica’s newest ocean conservation Wavemaker. Her work has been featured in Nature Conservancy Magazine, ESPN, National Geographic, Sierra Magazine, PBS, and film festivals around the word. Through every aspect of her practice, Shireen is dedicated to telling stories that encourage activism and healing for the benefit of all beings everywhere. Except Kenny, of course.

To find out more about Shireen’s work you can go to her website lightpalaceproductions.com, visit her on Instagram instagram.com/dr.shireenrahimi, or check out her latest underwater short film, Letter from the Age of Ecocide ageofecocide.com, coming to a film festival near you.