A New Level of Education in Aquaponics
Monday, November 14, 2011
Montello and Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Aquaponics, an innovative method of agriculture that combines aquaculture and hydroponics, has garnered international attention as people around the world look for sustainable, efficient and highly productive methods of growing fresh food.
University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point (UWSP) Continuing Education, Department of Biology, and the Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility, in partnership with Nelson and Pade, Inc., a Montello, Wisconsin-based company specializing in aquaponics technology, systems and training is now offering a 3-credit, full semester course in Aquaponics. The course, Introduction to Aquaponics, will first be offered for the Spring 2012 semester with open enrollment starting in December, 2011.
This private/public partnership and the resulting UWSP aquaponics course is a new stage in the development of the aquaponics industry and in providing comprehensive training in aquaponics at the university level.
The course has been jointly developed by Dr. Chris Hartleb, Professor of Biology, UWSP, Rebecca L. Nelson and John S. Pade, Nelson and Pade, Inc. Dr. Hartleb and Ms. Nelson will be the course instructors and will interact with students during the online sessions and the hands-on lab sessions.
The lectures run from March 1 – May 11, 2012 and take place online, each with a self-study session followed by a live chat with one of the three instructors. The hands-on lab sessions will be held at Nelson and Pade, Inc.’s demonstration greenhouse in Montello, WI, May 21-23, 2012.
Rebecca Nelson comments, "I am extremely excited about this partnership and the potential it represents. As the aquaponics industry grows, one of the big issues we face is a lack of trained and educated individuals to fill jobs as aquaponic greenhouse managers and workers. The launch of this course, which I believe is the first of its kind, has the potential to grow into an aquaponics minor and eventually an aquaponics major at UWSP."
The course covers an introduction to and history of aquaponics, applications and benefits, system components, water quality dynamics, environmental control, plant crop choices and plant biology, fish selection and fish biology, integrated pest management and biosecurity, daily operation and record keeping, good agricultural practices, economics of aquaponics and marketing.
The course is open to students at UWSP as well as students from other colleges and universities through UWSP Continuing Education. Registration is through UWSP Continuing Education Office.
If you have questions about the course, please contact Nelson and Pade, Inc. (email: nelson@aquaponics.com, phone: 608-297-8708)
Thinking of a workshop rather than a 4 month, 3-credit course? Nelson and Pade, Inc. offers 3-day Aquaponics and Controlled Environment workshops. Please check our 2012 schedule.
Attendees of these workshops can earn one credit (graduate or undergraduate) or Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) through UWSP. For more information please see our aquaponics workshops page.
Posted By
Rebecca Nelson