Mike Acquafredda

I’m originally from Matawan, New Jersey. As a young man, scouting gave me the opportunity to explore and fall in love with nature. My favorite camping trip every year was to Sandy Hook, a peninsula that separates the Raritan Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. There, I caught fish, dug in the mud for clams, and collected seashells. For my Eagle Scout Project, I worked with the NY/NJ Baykeeper to organize an oyster gardening program at Cheesequake State Park. They say everyone remembers the first time they ate an oyster, but not everyone can say they remember the first time they grew one.

As an undergraduate at Tufts University, I explored the many realms of biology. With Dr. Kelly McLaughlin, I studied heart development and heart disease in the amphibian model species, Xenopus laevis. With Dr. Jan Pechenik, I studied the effects of hypoxia on a pollution-indicating polychaete, Capitella teleta. Throughout my time at Tufts, I continued working with the NY/NJ Baykeeper and my interest in aquaculture began to flourish.

I’m currently a third-year PhD candidate working with Dr. Daphne Munroe, and I’m an advocate for sustainable aquaculture practices that are beneficial to both farmers and aquatic ecosystem.  Broadly, my doctoral research is focused on expanding aquaculture opportunities through ecologically-sound diversification.