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Diving into “What’s Good” with Oyster Aquaculture with Adriane Michaelis

Photo by Scottie Robinson of Madhouse Oysters

Growing up in Michigan, Adriane didn’t always know that she wanted to pursue a career in Marine Biology. In fact, she wanted to be a vet. Her time earning her undergraduate degree at University of Michigan (Go Blue!) put her on a different path. After pursuing her master’s degree in marine biology, Adriane found herself working as lab manager for University of Maryland’s oyster lab, restoring oysters in the Chesapeake Bay and earning her captain’s license in the process. After a few years of captaining both the lab and the boat, Adriane’s love of people, education, and biology called her to pursue more. She went back to school, this time to pursue her PhD. Adriane now travels the United States and parts of Indonesia, working to integrate knowledge sources related to marine resource management. In this episode, we chat about the merits of grad school, oyster aquaculture, and what it’s like traveling the U.S. in an RV with her two dogs.

Connect with Adriane: Blog | Instagram

Quick Links
Subak System
Palm Oil Plantations
Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation
Leuser National Park
Illegal Unreported Unregulated Fishing (IUU)
Coral Triangle Initiative
University of Michigan
Mote Marine Laboratory
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Audubon Society
Ivory Billed Woodpecker
The Paynter Lab at University of Maryland
American Academy of Underwater Science (AAUS) Scientific Diving
Dead Rise Boat
Oyster Recovery Partnership
Dermo (the oyster disease)
Adriane’s advisor + her research
White Vulture in Africa
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
MD Sea Grant
Explorer’s club, DC
Dean’s Research Initiative
Benefits of Oysters
Oyster Cultch
Spat on shell
Coral bleaching
Indo course
Indo blog
National Aquarium, Baltimore
Madhouse Oysters

Show Notes
How African grad school plans changed to oysters [1:35]
Taking advantage of grad school opportunities to get outside the US [2:15]
What Adriane studies in Indonesia and where [2:37]
Leonardo DiCaprio’s involvement [5:40]
Indonesia’s approach to Illegal and Unregulated Fishing (pirate fishing) [6:30]
What Germany lands and oysters have in common [8:02]
How Adriane chose her undergrad university [9:35]
The aspect of marine biology that made her decision [10:02]
Time interning at Mote Marine Laboratory [10:12]
Applying to UNCW [11:04]
Master’s Degree work (not what she’s currently studying!) [11:21]
How isotope analysis can show animal distributions [11:47]
How Adriane’s graduate studies laid the foundation for future research [12:35]
How small side jobs can help shape future career objectives [13:15]
The elusive ivory billed woodpecker in the swamps of North Carolina [13:55]
How local knowledge can be invaluable [14:20]
Looking for a job that fits the bill in the area that she wants to live [15:45]
Why previous experience matters [16:16]
Getting dive certified during gap years [16:52]
Getting scientific diving certified through work [17:21]
What getting dive certified in Maryland looks like [18:14]
Getting her captain’s license [18:50]
Diving to restore oyster populations in the Chesapeake Bay [20:54]
Using lab time to test for oyster diseases [21:55]
How oyster farmers combat oyster diseases [23:29]
Making the decision to get her PhD [24:01]
Where Adriane gets her funding [26:06]
Adriane’s pre-dissertation research (and what that even means) [28:28]
Why doing aquaculture was important to farmers [31:00]
The benefit people get from their environment that nobody talks about [32:30]
Adriane asks “What’s Good?” [33:05]
Why Adriane is on tour [35:04]
Difference between cultch and spat on shell [37:13]
Different Types of oyster aquaculture [38:53]
Challenges aquaculturists face [42:24]
Benefits of both wild caught fishery and aquaculture [45:12]
Adriane’s favorite part about her job right now [46:47]
Diving the coral triangle in Indonesia [47:04]
Adriane’s favorite marine/coastal animal (it will probably surprise you!) [48:08]
Volunteering at the National Aquarium in Baltimore [49:10]
Adriane’s advice for future marine biologists [52:22]
How you can get in touch with Dri (links at the top as well) [53:26]
What getting dive certified in Maryland looks like [18:14]
Getting her captain’s license [18:50]
Diving to restore oyster populations in the Chesapeake Bay [20:54]
Using lab time to test for oyster diseases [21:55]
How oyster farmers combat oyster diseases [23:29]
Making the decision to get her PhD [24:01]
Where Adriane gets her funding [26:06]
Adriane’s pre-dissertation research (and what that even means) [28:28]
Why doing aquaculture was important to farmers [31:00]
The benefit people get from their environment that nobody talks about [32:30]
Adriane asks “What’s Good?” [33:05]
Why Adriane is on tour [35:04]
Difference between cultch and spat on shell [37:13]
Different Types of oyster aquaculture [38:53]
Challenges aquaculturists face [42:24]
Benefits of both wild caught fishery and aquaculture [45:12]
Adriane’s favorite part about her job right now [46:47]
Diving the coral triangle in Indonesia [47:04]
Adriane’s favorite marine/coastal animal (it will probably surprise you!) [48:08]
Volunteering at the National Aquarium in Baltimore [49:10]
Adriane’s advice for future marine biologists [52:22]

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