Aquaculture Researcher

Social Sciences

This photo was taken by Lynn Ketchum for Oregon Sea Grant

  

Overview

Aquaculture researchers work to create new best practices for existing hatcheries, oyster farms, etc., by studying the biology, physiology, and ecology of aquaculture species. Aquaculture researchers may also study the social, environmental, economic, and policy aspects of aquaculture farms and workers. They often work closely with the seafood industry to create sustainable solutions.

Day-to-day work

More specifically, aquaculture social science researchers typically spend their day engaging in a blend of data analysis, monitoring, and data collection, coupled with interviewing stakeholders and crafting scientific communication. Their work depends on the stage of the scientific process they are currently in, and their area of focus. After analyzing the current practices of a facility or the current health of the organisms, a researcher develops their experiment. They then collect the necessary data to test their hypothesis through fieldwork, lab work, or another method of research. Next, they analyze their data, which could range from transcribing interviews conducted with farmers to plotting data on the number of new salmon hatchlings, etc. Based on the results of their analysis, they may need to rerun their experiment or apply the results in a variety of contexts. For example, they could be developing better practices for a hatchery or farm, studying how environmental pressures impact aquaculture farmers' well-being, or summarizing their findings to present at conferences, write as peer-reviewed publications, or share with industry. 

The role of an aquaculture researcher goes far beyond collecting and analyzing data.  They collaborate across sectors and/or disciplines to communicate science and further our understanding of the world. 

Meet Lauren Rice

Faculty Research Assistant, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences at Oregon State University

Lauren currently works as a Faculty Research Assistant in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences at OSU, conducting research that focuses on social science and human dimensions. She graduated from OSU with a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Studies and a Master’s Degree in Marine Resource Management. Lauren gained experience in the field of aquaculture through her undergraduate research and her Master's project. Her project involved analyzing interviews with shellfish farmers from two studies that collectively spanned Washington, Oregon, and California to understand the effect that environmental challenges have on aquaculture farmers. After graduation, she transferred her learned skills and currently analyzes interviews with ranchers to understand the impact of wolf introduction in their area. Lauren’s biggest piece of advice is to complete internships, use them as a tool to gauge what environment you work best in, and try your hand at outreach to explain topics that people may not have been exposed to yet.

Read the full interview with Lauren!

Lauren Rice was a research assistant investigating the social and economic stressors within aquaculture. Her project involved analyzing interviews of shellfish farmers from 2 studies that spanned the California, Oregon, and Washington coasts. She had been previously introduced to one of the studies during undergrad research experience. For her master's, she decided to expand the scope of her research and combine that research with a study of Washington and Oregon farmers to look at the effect of various stressors on shellfish farmers. For example, what issues did shellfish farmers perceive as most pressing: ocean acidification, regulatory/ policy issues, etc.  

Currently, she works as a faculty research assistant for fisheries and wildlife conservation in the College of Agriculture. Her work now focuses on analyzing interviews with ranchers to study the impacts that food web changes have on agricultural workers. Both her current and past work aim to better understand what policy changes and regulations could be made to improve sustainability and the lives of the farmers. 

Lauren found that between the work she did as a master’s student and the work she does now, a lot of interview and interview analysis skills have transferred since both of the topics revolved around similar subjects. In addition, she emphasized that learning to work independently greatly improved her ability to complete tasks quickly, something her employers appreciated.

Four highly impactful experiences led Lauren to her current position. The first was her introduction to Environmental Sciences in her first term of college as an environmental science major (although she later switched to Marine Studies once it became an option), where she first learned about ocean acidification. The next was further in her college career, when her professor, Dr. Ana Spalding, mentioned she was currently researching how ocean acidification was impacting shellfish farmers' operations. Lauren decided to ask her after class if there was any way for her to become involved in the lab, and was offered a volunteer undergraduate research position. This connection also inspired her Master's project. Next, she completed an undergraduate internship with Oregon Sea Grant's Sea Grant Summer Scholars program, after mentioning her interest in ocean acidification and social work. The Oregon Sea Grant Summer Scholars program is an internship that provides undergraduate students with hands-on experience in marine science, policy, and management through placements with Oregon-based host organizations. Lastly, when she attended a conference in Portland, she met her current supervisor, Dr. Ethan Doney, who focuses on the social dimensions of human-wildlife interactions.

The one thing Lauren wished she had done more of to prepare for life after graduation was to use internships and other research experiences to narrow down what environment she works best. Throughout her undergrad and master's, she completed various paid and unpaid research activities and determined that she works best in a structured but independent environment. 

Her biggest challenge was the sheer amount of possible career paths within aquaculture, marine studies, and even master's programs. These programs have thousands of interdisciplinary opportunities and jobs, and she found that she could see herself working in many aspects of the field. What helped her narrow down what she wanted to do was the required concentration within the Marine Studies degree. Furthermore, she used the structure of her major and network of mentors to help narrow down her focus.

Lauren recommends that current students who want to become researchers use the internships and research opportunities (paid, hopefully, but unpaid will work too) they come across as a way to test out their hand at research and get their name out there. She also recommends any outreach activities to explain research or more general topics in science to people who may not work in the field. 

Her biggest piece of advice for undergraduate students is to put yourself out there and make use of all the resources OSU offers. She worked as a campus tour guide, which required her to learn about a lot of the opportunities and resources available to her as an undergraduate. In addition, she mentioned that Marine and Coastal Opportunities (MACO) had a great influence on the jobs and points of connection between students and opportunities. The last opportunity she mentioned for people who want to become involved in aquaculture (or any marine field) is to research internship programs through Oregon Sea Grant, such as the Sea Grant Summer Scholar program she participated in.

"Being able to uncover extra details and layers of complexity is exactly why I love social science! It's important in the field of aquaculture research to have a foundation of social science data so that our results can be directly applicable and helpful."

- Lauren Rice

Overview of Aquaculture Careers
Aquaculture Oyster Farm Manager
Aquaculture Sustainability Specialist
Aquaculture Focused Student