Success Stories By MajorProgram FY2022Jul 1, 2021 - Jun 30, 2022





ASSESSING THE EFFECTS OF AN AUTHENTIC PROJECT-BASED INTERVENTION ON SECONDARY STUDENTS’ ATTITUDE TOWARD AND INTEREST IN STEM USING AN AQUAPONICS CURRICULUM

Author: Ken Thompson

Major Program: Aquaculture

There is a need for secondary schools to provide more authentic, hands-on experiences in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and specifically, more project-based investigation (PBI) environments in the classroom that manifest the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) following practices they prescribe.  This program investigated how, and to what extent, a contextualized aquaponics PBI (APBI) 10-week model unit affected high school students’ attitudes toward ST

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Lochmere Pond Renovation

Author: John Kelso

Major Program: Aquaculture

Members of the home owners association near Lochmere Pond, Lexington, KY, requested educated opinions from Kentucky State University concerning a diminishing pond on the property.  John Kelso, Extension/Research Assistant visited this property in June 2021 to determine the best course of action.  During a meeting with members of the community including Dr, Aaron Thompson it was presented that the condition of the pond was in need of repairs for any significant change in land use. &nbsp

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INTEGRATING AQUACULTURE IN AND OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM THAT SUPPORTS STEM EDUCATION: A QUALITATIVE STUDY TO IDENTIFY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES, INTERESTS, AND EXPERIENCES

Author: Ken Thompson

Major Program: Aquaculture

This program explored the impact of an active aquaculture project-based learning program, as perceived by high school students. The purpose of this case study was to discover if participation in the program influenced students’ interest, engagement, and future educational and career aspirations in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) when integrating aquaculture in, and outside, the classroom. Likewise, the study also wanted to explore students’ knowledge abo

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Aquaponics in the Classroom Virtual Workshop Teaches Innovative Curriculum Opportunities

Author: William Crawford

Major Program: Aquaculture

As a member of the Kentucky State University (KYSU) State Aquaculture Team, I am tasked with educating stakeholders on the production of fish and plants in enclosed recirculating systems. Work in the combination of aquaculture and hydroponics led me to plan with colleagues Chelsea Walling and Brandon Preece to deliver a virtual workshop that focused on aquaponics applications in educational settings. Presenting live on August 12, recorded versions of our two presentations, and subsequent questio

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Donating Fish to Local Farmer in Turner's Station KY

Author: Jeffrey Warner

Major Program: Aquaculture

On January 31st, 2022, I and an Aquaculture Grad Student (Jasmine Iniguez), delivered donated Super-male Tilapia (YY sex chromosomes), in effort to work with  Flying Fish Lakes,(Owned by David Lazar and Jimmy is the manager) to get valuable data. These tilapia will be used as brood stock for their tilapia production. In return Flying Fish Lakes will give us useful marketing data on the offspring produced. Data like weight, length, age, number produced, sex ratio, and marketing price when so

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Taking Research to the Farm

Author: Janelle Hager

Major Program: Aquaculture

Taking Research to the Farm

Aquaponic farms that decide to grow entirely indoors with no natural sunlight have a large list of lighting technologies to choose from. Over the last decade, research led by Dr. Jim Tidwell at Kentucky State University (KSU) has evaluated different lighting technologies for use in indoor aquaponic farms. Initial research conducted by Charlie Schultz and Luke Oliver on lettuce, basil, pak choi, and kale showed that LED lights were better than induction, fluorescent, and metal halides in term of

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AG discovery day 2022

Author: Jeffrey Warner

Major Program: Aquaculture

June 15th 2022, A group of (about 30) students  toured the aquaculture facility for 2 hours, during which, I lead a group dissection of Koi, Tilapia, and Hybrid Stripped Bass. I had help from some coworkers like Janelle Hager, Leo Fleckensein, Jasmine Ingels, Kasandra Miller, and some grad students. The Kids got to learn external and internal anatomy of the fish.

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Connections with Farmers

Author: Jeffrey Warner

Major Program: Aquaculture

I donated fish to Local Farmers in Turner Station and London KY. This fish are apart of the Tilapia capacity building grant that is under Dr. Noel Novelo.

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Third Thursday May 19th 2022

Author: Jeffrey Warner

Major Program: Aquaculture

I gave a presentation for the Aquaculture Third Thursday Thing on May 19th 2022. there were 15 people attended. my presentation was on Tilapia spawning and hatchery management.

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Mentoring new catfish farmer

Author: Forrest Wynne

Major Program: Aquaculture

A new channel catfish farmer in Hickman Co. has been mentored for the past 14 months.  His fingerling catfish were stocked into 25 acres of ponds during May of 2021. Thousands of fish are stocked per acre in a multiple batch harvesting scenario where 1.0 -1.5 lb. fish are removed by cull seining and sold to live fish haulers for fee fishing operations or small-scale fish processers.  It takes 12 to 18 months for channel catfish to grow from 6-inch-long fingerlings to harvest size. &nbs

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