Aquaculture Researcher
Sustainability Specialist
Overview
Sustainability specialists work to increase the productivity and efficiency of aquaculture farms in a way that can be maintained long-term by both farmers and the environment. This work can include working in the private sector, research, or some combination of the two. An example of sustainable solutions in aquaculture could be making sterile oysters to reduce inbreeding or co-culturing species and allowing their interactions to mitigate the negative effects of raising them independently.
Day-to-day work
Aquaculture Sustainability Specialists often spend their time similarly to social science researchers, split between data analysis and research; however, sustainability specialists focus on applied research and the scientific fields of biology, chemistry, and ecology. The research aspect could include field work or lab work, depending on which aspect of aquaculture the researcher is studying. For example, if a researcher is studying the benefits of sterilizing oysters to reduce inbreeding and the possible effects of captive-bred oysters reproducing with wild oyster, they may spend their time harvesting samples for DNA sequencing, such as checking the water quality and feeding their animals. They could then take these samples back to the lab, sequence them, and analyze the differences between populations. The office work aspect often includes statistical data analysis, writing research papers and grants, designing new experiments, etc.
In addition, there may be outreach events that they attend to engage with the public and aquaculture farm workers. These events serve as a place to bring the research they have completed to people who can use and/or implement the results. This engagement with the aquaculture industry provides a two-way dialogue between the researchers and the aquaculture industry, to allow them to better solve challenges in aquaculture systems.
Sustainability work can be done both as a research position or in the private sector, with slight alterations to how their day might proceed. Sustainability research tends to be focused on what practices could be implemented, such as co-culturing (raising organisms together). On the other hand, work within the private sector tends to be more farm-specific, and how specific practices can make a hatchery, farm, etc, more sustainable.
Meet Ford Evans
Senior Research Associate at Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station, Oregon State University
Ford Evans is a Senior Research Associate at the Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station in Newport, Oregon. He began his career by studying abalone but later transitioned to co-culturing species to enhance their production efficiency and sustainability. He has studied abalone and dulse, a red seaweed, but has recently started a new project using sea cucumbers to reduce sea urchin waste in aquaculture tanks. He highly recommends gaining any relevant experience you can to narrow down which aspect of aquaculture you would like to be involved in.
This photo was taken by Lynn Ketchum for Oregon Sea Grant
Read the interview with Ford Evans!
Ford Evans is a Senior Research Associate with Oregon State University. He currently works at the Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station researching sustainable aquaculture in low-level trophic species such as dulse (a red seaweed), sea urchins, and oysters. His first project at Hatfield Marine Science Center revolved around abalone and dulse co-cultures. He is currently applying the principles he learned from that research to investigate the coculture of sea urchins and sea cucumbers to reduce solid and dissolved waste. Sea cucumbers are often kept in aquariums to reduce the waste produced by sea urchins, and Ford is working to use this relationship to create more sustainable aquaculture. The most memorable results of his research so far have been the little things. For example, dulse production is very heavily tied to light availability, and seeing this plotted out and being able to apply this curve to creating favorable conditions is one of Ford’s most memorable research results.
Ford mentioned that a lot of his work is independent and done by himself, by the nature of his position. He currently lives in Corvallis and goes coast three times a week to perform what he refers to as the “hands-on work,” such as animal husbandry and checking the tanks. The rest of the week, he focuses on data analysis and grant writing.
While seeing the results of his data can be immensely satisfying, Ford’s favorite part of the job is the hands-on work. This could include raising animals or going to talk to aquaculture farmers to better understand the systems they currently have in place and how they could be improved to be more sustainable. He also mentioned how much he enjoys outreach and bringing the discoveries he has made to people. He mentioned that to raise dulse, they have massive 10,000-liter tanks, and people are always curious about what’s in them. Being able to bring this research to people and making it real and relatable may just be his favorite part of the job.
Ford is from Southern California and has always had a love for the ocean, and was introduced to Marine Biology during high school. During his undergrad, he was introduced to the idea of aquaculture, and from that moment on, the seed of aquaculture was planted. His master's work involved studying catfish at Auburn University. Originally, he had planned to enter the private sector and had the opportunity to establish an aquaculture project in Hawaii with Chris Langdon. It was through this project that he discovered he preferred working with people in the private sector rather than working in the private sector.
Ford worked with Chris Langdon, who has been a major voice in the aquaculture discussion at Hatfield Marine Science Center. Together, they studied abalone-dulse co-cultures and the benefits of raising these organisms together. He then continued working with him to study oyster breeding and obtained his PhD through this research. From there, he met his wife in Corvallis and got a job working for the Aquafish Innovation Lab. This was a USAID-funded project that connected with domestic and international partners and developed aquaculture in developing countries to further boost their economy. This experience provided him with many opportunities to travel and allowed him to see the impact of aquaculture on other people
Ford emphasized the importance of having data analysis and experimental design skills. Knowing how to use statistical tools and just being comfortable with numbers is a skill that continues to benefit him. In addition, knowing how to design and execute experiments to show the effects of the variable being investigated has been extremely important.
The most important “transferable skill” Ford emphasized was interpersonal communication. Communicating well and working well with others is something he has seen the profound impacts of in academia and outside of it.
Ford mentioned that while having these skills is not required to enter the field, he recommends any type of field work that allows you to gain experience working on or near the water, for example, boating experience or even experience with the water systems used in aquaculture. In addition, experience with animal husbandry and raising animals (marine or other) will give students a leg up when trying to get into the field.
Ford mentioned that he looks for passion and attention to detail in potential candidates. Showing a genuine interest in aquaculture and specifically how it could fit in or complement his current research is something he highly values. He also mentioned the importance of attention to detail and how this skill allows him to see what a candidate values the most.
After considering this question for quite some time, Ford said he wouldn’t change much.
Ford mentioned two main challenges he has faced during his job search/ career. The first was finding jobs, and knowing where to look for them. When he was originally looking for a job within aquaculture, he wanted a job that would allow him to stay local and not move his family around. He found this at the Aquafish Innovation lab, as previously mentioned; however, this was really the only aquaculture job available.
His second challenge is interviews and “selling himself” as a good candidate for the open position, although he does find it gets easier the closer the position is to what he is passionate about. He recommended being prepared and practicing your interviewing skills for people who struggle with this aspect as well.
The main opportunity students should take advantage of is networking. Attending local conferences such as the State of the Coast or Oregon Coast Mariculture Collaborative meetings are great opportunity to meet industry professionals and grow your network of connections. Another way to do this would be to go out to the coast and schedule aquaculture farm tours to see what the farmers' lives look like and get your name out there.
Ford’s main advice is to get experience in whatever way you can. Whether that's getting an internship, going to a conference, or just going to the coast to see the oyster farms, any sort of experience will set you apart and allow you to figure out where your passion truly lies.
Throughout the interview, Ford mentioned many organizations he had been involved with, or that students could become involved with.
"The most important part of science is to make it real and make it relatable so everyone can understand the improvements we are trying to make."
- Ford Evans
This photo was taken by Lynn Ketchum for Oregon Sea Grant