▁promote ▁marine ▁conservation . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁Eugen ie ▁Clark ▁was ▁born ▁and ▁raised ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City . ▁Her ▁father , ▁Charles ▁Clark , ▁died ▁when ▁Eugen ie ▁was ▁almost ▁two ▁years ▁old , ▁and ▁her ▁mother , ▁Y um ico ▁Mot omi , ▁later ▁married ▁Japanese ▁restaurant ▁owner ▁Mas atom o ▁Nob u . ▁ ▁Clark ▁attended ▁grade ▁school ▁in ▁Wood side , ▁Long ▁Island , ▁and ▁graduated ▁from ▁Bry ant ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁Queens , ▁New ▁York . ▁She ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁student ▁of ▁Japanese ▁descent ▁in ▁her ▁schools . ▁ ▁From ▁an ▁early ▁age , ▁Clark ▁was ▁passion ate ▁about ▁marine ▁science , ▁with ▁many ▁of ▁her ▁school ▁reports ▁covering ▁topics ▁in ▁marine ▁bi ology . ▁An ▁initial ▁visit ▁to ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Aqu arium ▁at ▁B atter y ▁Park ▁inspired ▁Clark ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁the ▁aqu arium ▁every ▁Saturday ▁there after , ▁fasc in ated ▁by ▁marine ▁animals . ▁The ▁work ▁of ▁natural ist ▁William ▁Be eb e ▁further ▁inspired ▁Clark ▁to ▁become ▁an ▁ocean ograph er . ▁ ▁Academ ic ▁and ▁scientific ▁life ▁Eugen ie ▁Clark ▁received ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Arts ▁in ▁zo ology ▁from ▁Hunter ▁College ▁( 1 9 4 2 ). ▁During ▁sum mers , ▁she ▁studied ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Michigan ▁Bi ological ▁Station , ▁and ▁prior ▁to ▁gradu ate ▁school ▁she ▁worked ▁for ▁Cel an ese ▁Corporation ▁as ▁a ▁chem ist . ▁Eugen ie ▁initially ▁sought ▁to ▁attend ▁gradu ate ▁school ▁at ▁Columbia ▁University , ▁but ▁her ▁application ▁was ▁rejected