Meet Aliah

Aliah Banchik is a marine biologist, shark advocate, and underwater photographer who is poised to become a breakout star in a highly anticipated reality series on Netflix called All the Sharks. While details remain under wraps, the show took her from the Maldives to South Africa and beyond—placing her at the center of an international spotlight on conservation.

Recognized as one of the World’s Leading “Young Women Making an Impact in Conservation,” Aliah holds a Master’s degree in Marine Biology from James Cook University, where she co-founded The FINstitute, a student-led shark conservation initiative. She currently serves as Projects and Communications Coordinator at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science.

In addition to her conservation work, Aliah is an artist, advocate, and athlete. Through her digital art company Naked4Nature, she transforms her original photography into portraits and infographics designed to educate and inspire. she has been a TEDx speaker and authored My Best Friend Lexi, sharing her personal dyslexia journey. And in her free time, you can find her skating, surfing, or in the gym.

With the upcoming launch of her reality series, Aliah is poised to become a household name. She is eager to use this forthcoming international platform to inspire action and drive meaningful change for ocean conservation.

Aliah Banchik, A woman with red hair wearing scuba diving gear, including a wetsuit and diving mask, standing on a beach with ocean waves in the background.

As seen on Netflix

All of the Sharks contestant season 1

Dr. Brock Bergseth

“Aliah is one of the rare humans that combines entrepreneurial spirit with a creative spirit and a scientific mind”

Research & Conservation

Two women are kneeling beside a small inflatable pool on a sandy surface, collecting a small shark from the water. One woman is wearing a blue long-sleeved shirt and gloves, and the other woman is wearing a pink long-sleeved shirt and a brown cap. Various containers and tools for handling the shark are nearby.

Aliah Banchik is a marine scientist with hands-on experience in research and conservation projects across Australia, Central America, and the Indo-Pacific. She completed her Master’s in Marine Biology at James Cook University, where her thesis focused on the feeding ecology of juvenile giant shovelnose rays—one of the most critically endangered elasmobranch species in the world. Her fieldwork has included coral restoration in the Florida Keys, invasive lionfish removal in Belize, turtle tagging and reef surveys on the Great Barrier Reef, and underwater habitat documentation in Sydney Harbour.

Her research has been supported by the Explorers Club Exploration Fund and the Oceania Chondrichthyan Society, and she currently works at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science, where she leads science communication and supports projects like Living Seawalls and the Sydney Seahorse Project.

Visual storyelling

Aliah Banchik - A woman with red hair at the beach, wearing a wetsuit, holding an underwater photography camera (Canon) with a reflective visor, and adjusting it, with the ocean and waves in the background.

Group of sharks swimming in dark water, photographed in black and white.

Person holding a small spotted shark with an out-of-focus water background.

Black and white photo of a shark swimming underwater, viewed from above.

Aliah’s approach to science communication is visual, visceral, and deeply human. She transforms raw fieldwork into immersive storytelling using photography, film, and drone footage to capture the emotional essence of marine science. Shooting with a Canon R5 in an Isotta underwater housing, Aliah documents everything from stingray studies to underwater art installations.

Her work has been featured by Canon Australia, ABC Australia, Reef Ecologic, and James Cook University. In 2023, she was named a winner in Canon Australia’s “Your Shot” competition, earning a spot at an exclusive creator retreat. Her photography often straddles science and activism—whether it’s spotlighting seahorse restoration in Sydney or capturing the energy of shark dives for international campaigns.

The FINstitute

The FINstitute is a student-powered conservation initiative co-founded by Aliah Banchik and Luca Hoffecker to close the gap between passionate young scientists and meaningful shark research. It was born from Aliah’s frustration with the lack of hands-on elasmobranch science in her graduate curriculum—despite earning a Master’s in Marine Biology, she found herself with limited access to real-world shark science experience. Instead of waiting for doors to open, she built one herself.

The FINstitute creates access to shark and ray conservation for students and emerging professionals who want to contribute to high-impact fieldwork but don’t yet have the credentials or networks. Through collaborative expeditions and partnerships with grassroots organizations, the FINstitute connects student scientists with conservation efforts in shark-fishing hotspots like Indonesia and northern Australia. Their goal isn’t to replace existing work, but to amplify and accelerate it.

In just a few years, the FINstitute has organized research trips for shark tagging and ray ecology, contributed to public science events like Reimagining Jaws, and partnered with BioPixel and Dr. Nico Lutz to provide immersive research experiences. The group has also secured a side event at the 2026 Sharks International Conference in Sri Lanka and is preparing to launch its first public-facing expedition in May 2026.

At its core, the FINstitute champions accessibility, equity, and a human-centered approach to shark science. It sees conservation not just as a biological challenge, but a social one—where empowering people is essential to protecting the ocean.

A woman and a man stand at a white podium with multiple computer monitors, one holding a microphone, during a presentation with a large screen behind them displaying a slide about shark conservation. The slide features silhouettes of sharks and text about establishing working relationships and conservation initiatives.

Woman wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a long-sleeve shirt holding a small stingray in shallow water with greenery in the background.

Aliah's creative work blurs the line between conservation and visual expression.

Naked 4 Nature is an art brand that merges ocean conservation with bold, creative expression. Founded by marine scientist and photographer Aliah Banchik, it uses underwater photography, graphic design, and eco-conscious apparel to promote marine awareness in a playful and provocative way. With a gallery that showcases stunning marine life and freediving imagery, and apparel emblazoned with cheeky slogans like “ONLY FINS,” the brand blends humor with activism. Naked 4 Nature is both a visual love letter to the ocean and a call to action—inviting audiences to rethink how they engage with nature, science, and self-expression.

In 2023, Aliah curated and hosted her first Naked 4 Nature art show—a 24-hour ocean conservation exhibition in Miami Beach featuring seven local marine-focused artists. The event raised $1,000 for U Miami’s Rescue a Reef Program through a community raffle, and was preceded by a “bikini beach cleanup” in partnership with Clean This Beach Up (which is how Aliah met MJ!), blending activism, art, and a bold sense of humor. Aliah’s own underwater photography and ocean-inspired designs were featured alongside other creators, cementing Naked 4 Nature as both a creative platform and a conservation movement.

Entrepreneur

Group of people at the beach holding buckets, woman in a blazer at an indoor event with decor, two women in beachwear with buckets and a lifeguard station in the background, and stylized illustrations of women in swimsuits with beach and ocean patterns.

Championing Neurodiversity

Aliah Banchik - Young woman with red hair and freckles smiling while holding a book titled 'My Best Friend Lexi' in a bedroom with wall decor and photos.

Aliah was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD after years of academic struggle. Once she understood how her brain worked, everything changed: she became top of her class, earned scholarships, and launched a scientific career.

To share her story, she wrote and illustrated My Best Friend Lexi, a children’s book personifying dyslexia as a misunderstood superpower.

TEDx Talk: Aliah delivered a talk on redefining dyslexia, blending neuroscience and personal storytelling to challenge outdated educational norms and champion creative cognition.

Mission: