When I introduce myself as a Kentuckian, people often ask me about bourbon and horse racing. When I mention that I do aquaculture research, I tend to get many questions about how I began and why I’ve decided on this career path. People can sometimes assume that since Kentucky is not on the coast, that aquaculture research and production does not occur here. However, Kentucky is the only state that is bordered by rivers on three sides and there are numerous lakes and streams throughout the state. Some of my fondest childhood memories were fishing with my papaw and flipping creek rocks to find critters. While the aquaculture industry in Kentucky may not be as extensive as it is in other states, there is value in the products grown here and the Aquaculture Research Center (ARC) at Kentucky State University has contributed valuable research to the field for nearly four decades.
My love for science began in elementary school; I remember being so proud of my science fair projects and asking for a microscope and experiment kits for Christmas. After high school, I enrolled as a Biology major at Kentucky State University but changed to an Agriculture, Food and the Environment major when the program began. As a junior, I started working at the ARC as part of an undergraduate course requirement. I instantly fell in love with the research and knew that this field could satisfy my love of water and food production. I was granted one year of tuition for graduate school and was so grateful for this opportunity. If I am being honest, I never expected that a small town country girl like myself could earn a Master’s degree. As a first generation college graduate I knew my family was proud but I felt somewhat alone on my journey. Most of the girls I went to high school with already had six year olds by the time I finished grad school. So as society continues to pressure us all I often wonder how can we be expected to push ourselves to our fullest potential if we don’t have examples of what that even looks like.
Young women interested in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers need examples that are representative of themselves. Women that are harvesting ponds and surveying rivers by day while feeding their families and rocking their babies at night. This industry requires a lot of strength; physically and mentally. I hope to see more women take on active production and facility management roles. Women have diverse skill sets that make us efficient leaders and diligent researchers and we absolutely have a place in the aquaculture field. I encourage the women of aquaculture to find talented peers that they can look up to and see themselves in. The many incredible women that I have crossed paths with in this industry have left lasting impressions by showing me that I am capable of so much more than I ever thought possible.