Ford Evans

Educational background:

B.A. (1990) in Biology, Pitzer College , Claremont , CA .

M.S. (1995) in Aquaculture, Auburn University , Auburn , AL .

Ph.D. (2005) in Fisheries Science, Oregon State University , Corvallis , OR .

Current position:

I am currently a CO-PI for the Molluscan Broodstock Program, a research-scale breeding program with the goals of 1) to improve Pacific oyster broodstock through selection in order to enhance commercial yields, 2) to establish a broodstock management program with industry for sustainable, long-term improvements in commercial production, 3) to maintain a repository for genetically selected oyster families and cryopreserved gametes.  This is a USDA-funded project, which involves many aspects of shellfish husbandry, from spawning and nursery culture to field performance evaluation of adults (2+ years old). 

Work background:

My education in aquaculture began, formally, at Auburn University ( Alabama ) where I studied the feeding behavior of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus).  In 1996 I began working at the Hatfield Marine Science Center as a research assistant on a project exploring the biology and economics of co-culturing red abalone (Haliotis rufescens) and the red macroalgae dulse (Palmaria mollis) under limited flow conditions.  In 1998 I began studying oyster breeding in conjunction with the Molluscan Broodstock Program. 

I have also had the pleasure of teaching marine science to elementary and high school students at the Catalina Island Marine Institute (CIMI) in an outdoor setting on Catalina Island . More recently, I have assisted Professor Chris Langdon (OSU) in several lecture and lab sections of FW 497/597 “Introduction to Aquaculture”.

Professionally significant events

I receive a great deal of satisfaction from the commercial application of our research.  Early work on the co-culture of abalone and dulse conducted at HMSC contributed to the development of a successful abalone farm located in Hawaii .  Further, the oyster breeding program periodically gives superior broodstock to industry partners for use in commercial-scale oyster culture.

Personal

My wife, Kathy, and I have a beautiful baby daughter named Mia.

Aquarium science and related courses taught

AQS 220 Biology of captive invertebrates.