16 MARCH 2025 • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WAS.ORG different events throughout the year that ranged from social activities to research projects to public outreach — 26 were linked to networking, professional development, trainings, and conference attendance; 14 encompassed social activities such as bowling, cookie decorating, rock painting, roadside and stream cleanups, and regular meetings for elections and general business; 9 were outreach focused as subunits staffed booths at local festivals, helped teach community members how to fish and clean their catch, led tours of subunit maintained facilities, and partnered with special education classes to teach students about water quality in aquariums; 7 were tied to fundraising through plant, shrimp, and craft sales and grant writing for various awards; 2 were tied to research projects centered on shrimp and crayfish production; and 2 were associated with recruitment of graduate and undergraduate students at institutional career and club fairs. Chapter Struggles and Concerns: Although each chapter is unique and operates independently, several themes emerged as challenges faced by multiple subunits. Four subunits reported obstacles with engaging undergraduate and graduate student populations. A few subunits operate on or aspire to operate on satellite campuses, which proves difficult when coordinating social events, meetings, transportation, and research projects. Four subunits called for better recruitment strategies of members, generally and for diversity purposes, and volunteers to aid with system upkeep and fundraising efforts. Three subunits named better communication within their subunit and between subunits as a necessity, and one subunit wanted smoother transitions during officer changeover each year. Three subunits identified social media as a challenge — needing a larger presence or noting that regular USAS Student Subunits play an integral role in furthering the missions and reach of USAS and WAS. Subunits allow graduate, undergraduate, and even high school students to engage with different types of aquaculture at local scales and create social, educational, professional, and outreach opportunities for student members (Grenn & Walsh, 2024a; Grenn et al., 2024b). Each year, subunits are asked to submit an annual report outlining their accomplishments to remain in good standing as official USAS Student Subunits. Seven subunits (Table 1) completed the requirement for reporting year 2024 and are considered active. Active subunits are eligible to apply for the annual Student Subunit Project Grant ($1,000 in available funds — competitive) and the Student Subunit Travel Support Award (covers one student early bird conference registration, currently a $295 value — one awarded per active subunit) to attend the annual USAS Aquaculture America or WAS Triennial conference. Annual reports are published on the USAS Student Subunit webpage and outline each subunit’s membership, activities, struggles or concerns, chapter changes, and treasurer’s report (https://www.usaquaculture.org/for-students). Membership: Auburn High School reactivated its subunit status in 2024, whereas the remaining six active subunits (Table 1) maintained their status from 2023. There are 113 total students involved in the seven active USAS Student Subunits, with chapter membership ranging from six students at the smallest subunit (UF) to 26 participating in the largest subunit (AU) (Fig. 1). Student membership in 2024 is slightly down from 2023, by seven students (120 active members in 2023 vs. 113 in 2024). Activities: The subunits reported hosting or attending 60 United States Aquaculture Society (USAS) Student Subunit 2024 Annual Report Summary Julianne Grenn, Abdulmalik Oladipupo, Michelle Walsh, and Adriane Michaelis TABLE 1. List of subunits that submitted a 2024 annual report. Number Subunit Name Abbreviation 1 Auburn High School Auburn HS 2 Auburn University AU 3 Kentucky State University KYSU 4 Lake Superior State University LSSU 5 University of Arkansas Pine Bluff UAPB 6 University of Florida UF 7 Virginia Institute of Marine Science VIMS FIGURE 1. Student membership numbers split by active USAS Student Subunit Chapter. Table 1 explains the acronyms used for each included subunit.
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