Traditionally, people associate aquariums with systems like these.
Aquatic Animal Life Support Education
It is common to see systems that range from hundreds to millions of gallons in the aquatic animal life support industry.
The aquatic animal life support industry is always in need of talented multidisciplinary people with the scientific and mechanical aptitude to operate and maintain seawater systems. Given the MSC’s unique infrastructure in a higher education setting, my team and I partnered with faculty to develop life support internships to promote workforce development and lay foundational support for campus sustainability initiatives.
Intern projects were driven by student career interests. Some of our interns studied life support operations and maintenance on the MSC's flowing seawater system with hope of working for a major aquarium. Students with interests in sustainable food production compared aquaculture challenges in open and closed systems, while others investigated the mechanisms of near-zero waste aquaponics system.
Undergraduate internships gave students hands-on experience and mentoring with the unique systems found in the Marine Science Center.
In partnering with the Aquatic Animal Life Support Operator (AALSO) organization, our team was granted privileges to prepare students for and administer AALSO Level I certification exams, industry recognized and sought after credentials in life support standards. The academic preparation centered on critical and very technical knowledge deemed essential in the life support industry.
The AALSO organization shines brilliantly during its annal conference which is supported generously by industry vendors and hosted by some of the nation's premier zoos and aquariums. For three days, life support professionals and students engage in specialized lectures and unprecedented hands-on workshops. Attendees are also treated to incredible ice breaker events with behind the scenes access to host facilities and a culminating conference business dinner that celebrates operator education certification achievements as well as outstanding operator and vendor contributions.
