Ely Augustinus, was born and raised on the pacific coast of Honduras, from an early age she had a strong passion for the ocean, especially for sharks and rays. This led her to study a degree in Biology at the National Autonomous University of Honduras, where she was part of the volunteers of the Museum of Natural History, which prompted her to continue studying these animals. Since then, Ely has participated in different investigations ranging from studies of dental taxonomy in deep-sea sharks, monitoring of marine megafauna inside and outside protected areas, identification of priority sites for endangered species, and studies of trade and consumption of sharks and rays. Recently, she was invited to be a member of the Commission of the Shark Specialist Group (SSG) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), being the first representative of Honduras in this commission.