US (GA): Armstrong Aquaponics SARC celebrates anniversary
Curator, Dr. Heather Joesting, guided tours throughout the greenhouse, explaining the historical relevance and challenges of aquaculture fish farming– a process of water-based farming that is dependent on the fertilization of fish, originally practiced on the Nile River, from which aquaponic practices are derived.
Members of SARC include students working 1 hour per week, volunteers, and paid researchers, dedicated to performing aquaponic research to create a more sustainable and profitable system. Undergrads Sakile, who majors in Cellular Molecular Biology, and Chris, majoring in Marine Biology, are paid student researchers.
“This is a good opportunity for student research, science, and the student scholarship symposium presentations,” stated Sakile, who has been doing research for SARC since last summer.
“If you are interested and want to work, then show up…it’s a program worth supporting.”
Once the tilapia began spawning, Chris was recruited to build a smaller transition tank for the offspring to measure the plant growth for comparison to growth rates of the other four larger systems.
Chris believes the main value of SARC is the experience he has gained while working. “The driving point is the resume booster. You can do your own research for Grad school and gain experience in the scientific process with a hands-off intervention process. You live, and you learn.”
Read more at The Inkwell (Sarah Dryden)
