Abstract:

Aquaponic systems combine aquaculture (fish farming) and hydroponics (soilless plant growth) in a sustainable agricultural process that allows two food products to be grown in a single man-made system. Aquaponic systems are ecosystem models, providing the two essential ecosystem services of supplying renewable resources and absorbing pollution and waste. In June of 2010, Allegheny College (Meadville, PA, USA) received a grant for the project entitled “Aquaponics in the Community.” The goal of the project was to promote sustainable values, attitudes, and behaviors in Meadville, PA by increasing public understanding of sustainable systems. Since 2010, local awareness of aquaponic systems has grown significantly. Although the aquaponics program has been very successful, efforts throughout the community are currently separate and fragmented. In an effort to synthesize these projects and expand opportunities for the college, local schools, and the Meadville community, the various aquaponic systems throughout the Meadville community have been integrated into a single food production process. To achieve this goal we have recruited Parkhurst Dining Services, the Allegheny College dining provider, to purchase all food produced in our aquaponics systems throughout Meadville. This arrangement not only focuses the efforts at the Meadville Market House, Crawford Central School District, and Allegheny College into a single production process, but also creates enough revenue to sustain itself indefinitely after the first year of operation. A production level aquaponics system that has been designed as part of the new Richard J. Cook Center for Environmental Science will produce the majority of fish and produce, with additional produce to be grown in local classrooms and at the Meadville Market House. This series of interconnected aquaponics production systems will provide a unique educational opportunity for all members of the Meadville community to observe and participate in the production of year-round local food. While similar programs that integrate a variety of community stakeholders through farm-to-table efforts exist throughout the country, there are few examples of year-round production systems that exist in cold weather climates. This paper will explore the undergraduate education innovations that this project facilitates including the unique opportunity for the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) program instruction using this sustainable agriculture process.

Keywords:

Aquaponics, STEM education, sustainable agriculture