Aquaponics

Sheldon Lehman ’88, Managing Partner, Lehman Capital Advisors LLC, donated an aquaponics system to the College as a way to help advance opportunities for the College’s students. An aquaponics system combines aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (growing plants using nutrients released by the fish). This is an exciting new addition to our Biology and Ecological sciences programs.

Jessica Nolan, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biology, raises fish in the aquaponics system. The system helps students study how to raise fish more sustainably. She says, “Usually, the protein source in fish food is wild-caught fish. This contributed to overfishing in the ocean. Students are studying the possibility of using mealworms, algae or brewer’s yeast as alternative protein sources in fish food.”

In the Marine Biology constellation course, students have the opportunity to research aquaponics and propose ideas of their own on what to do with the fish and plants raised in the system.