2008-09
Occupational
Skills Award
The Occupational Skills Awards, OSA, is
now available
in the 2008-09 catalog (see below.) This is the first step of
recognition
a student can earn in the Aquarium and Aquaculture Science Program. The
OSA is a great benchmark and leads into the more intense coursework for
the, Certificate of Acheivement, CA. The CA consists
of9
courses or 22 units, of over 565 hours of instruction. The Associate
of Science Degree is acheived after an additional 60 units
of
general education courses are met, and is often referred to as the
2-year
degree.The OSA consists of 4 courses, 10.5 units, of over 272 hours of
instruction and is offered in two areas;
- Aquarium Technician; Required MST
100, 101, and two
courses from the following; MST 203, 204, 205 or 206.
- Aquaculture Technician; Require
MST
10, 101, and two
courses from the following; MST 203, 204, 205 or 206.
Students may apply for these options by
following
this link:
Application
Information and Forms
Donations (2007-08
year)
Donations demonstrate a strong commitment
from local,
regional and national businesses in support of our Aquarium and
Aquaculture
Science program and helps us to deliver a strong, "hands-on", technical
program to students desiring to enter a the field husbandry of
aquatic
animal and related fields.
- March 08: Kent
Marine Crystals by Energy Savers/Coralife
- Jan. 08: Continued
support and replacement of IP camera and server by Smartvue
IP Video Solutions
- Nov 07: Instant
Ocean, SeaClone Protein skimmers and heaters from Aquaria Inc; Aquarium
Systems & Marineland Products
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“Farming
the Big One”.
Featured story on the front page of
Community College
Week, Oct 8, 2007 issue (see page 6).
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Read about
our program's
profile:
Ocean
Careers.Com
"When
you’re working on a boat, scientists bring up animals for live
observation,
and somebody needs to be able to keep them alive"
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CLASS PROJECTS:
  
Students in MST 206, Life Support &
System Design,
contruct the recirculating system as part of the new Aquaponic
demonstration
& teaching system for cultivating fish and fresh vegetables.
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Three projects, initiated by MST 101
students:
(1) Captive rearing of the tropical ornnamental "Fire Shrimp", Lysmata
debelius, (2) "Moon Jellies", Aurelia labiata, and
(3) Maroon
Clowns, Premnas biaculeatus, paired since Oct. 99 spawn
every
6-8 weeks! |
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.
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| Aquaponics of Tilapia (from BlueBeyond
Fisheries) and fresh lettuce and herbs; basil, cilantro, thyme and
more! |
Paul Curtis with graduate student
Scott Brang working
on research project funded by of Minntech
Corporation. |
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Students in MST 203, Ecology of
Captive Fish &
Inverts, get first hand experience in specialized workshops held at the
Aquarium of the Pacific
Sandy Trautwein explains how students will
assist in
unpacking and acclimate new arrivals.
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Students get close up instruction as Paul
Clarkson explains
and demonstrates "target-feeding "of sharks in the Shark Lagoon exhibit.
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Coral Conservation:
Protect our living Corals
Learn how to propagate & share
them! |
We Support the
Marine Aquarium Council
Follow the link to learn more about them
! |
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If you would like to contribute to the
Aquarium & Aquaculture Science
Scholarship or Project Fund...
Please Contact the
Saddleback
College Foundation
all donations are tax deductible |
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Congratulations
to our AAS Graduates!
2008
Graduate Students: Ted Bates, Stuart Hunter, Scott
Margel, Wendy Lee and
Scott Brang
2007
Graduate Students: Richard Green, Constantine Peros,
Justin Stewart, and Eddie
Warrick
2006
Graduate Students: Rachel Calkins,
Yoehi
Eguchi, Kelly Miller, and Sheryl Quinn
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<>Where are they?
<>Follow the links below to read their
comments and advice to You!
<>
Scott
Brang works
as an on-line sales associate for Marine Depot, Anahiem, CA
Wendy
Lee (see
below) works
as an Aquarist at the Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institute of
Oceanography,
San Diego, CA
Stuart
Hunter, "Hunter" works
managing the large aquarium systems for the Rain Forest Cafe, Costa
Mesa,
CA
Scott Margel
started his own Aquarium Maintenance Business, "Scotts Aquarium
Service".
Eddie
Warrick works
as an aquarium technician for the Fish King, Costa Mesa, CA
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FEATURED
STUDENTS:
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| Wendy Lee
feeding one of the three sea otters at the
Aquarium
of the Pacific, Long Beach, CA, where she worked parttime.
She learned of our program during her employment and finished in
one year. Wendy had already earned her Bachelor of Science Degree
in Biology and wanted specific skills and knowlege relating
to Aquariums. Wendy recently accepted a new position at the Birch
Aquarium located in San Diego. Read Wendy's response to some
questions: "Wendy"
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Scott Brang works as a
purchasing assistant at Marine Depot and loves the people he
works with and for! He completed his internship at the Birch
Aquarium, working with Fernando Nostrapour. Read Scott's
response to some questions: "Scott" |
Rachael
Calkins
, is a local surfer, and grew up on the beaches of southern California,
surfing,
diving, and had a passion for the ocean, the fish, aquariums and
anything “water”. She began by enrolling in the aquarium class as
a fun hobby class and soon discovered a career path that would suit her
desires. She received her certificate, followed by an Associate Degree
and added in a second AS degree;
Marine Science Technician degree. She continues to work at the Ocean
Institute of Dana Point,
in fact she often does our class tours, she's in the center describing
the round shark tank exhibit !
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Community
Outreach:
Tours &
Presentations
We host many tours through
our
Aquarium Facility year round.
Groups include special
campus events,
as well as local area organizations.
Pictured: Serrano Intermediate school students admire our bamboo shark,
Vanilla, in his 600 gallon round acrylic aquarium. |
Shannon Smith shares the many temperate (cool) water animals, and
describes
how they are cared for by the aquarium students. |
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| Julie Anderson presented
two
lectures for local
Marine Aquarium
Soctieties: SCMAS and NCRMA
on the topic of; Coral Biology, Ecology, Conservation &
Propagation. |
Above:Paul Curtis
presented a lecture about the benefits of
Ozone use for
Koi Ponds to the Koi
Club of San Diego. Paul demonstrates how to swab a culture from an
anesthetized (sleeping) koi.
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