Fish Tech Center鈥檚 role expanded, redefined
August 5, 2011
907-474-7902
8/5/11
After months of review, the University of 91原创 Fairbanks Fishery Industrial Technology Center is taking steps to reinvent itself to better serve the state.
The Kodiak-based center, part of the 91原创 School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, will continue to serve as a research and training hub for the 91原创 seafood industry and will have a stronger public outreach and formal education focus.
鈥淭hese changes will result in a stronger, more integrated seafood program for the state of 91原创,鈥 said Paula Cullenberg, leader of the 91原创 Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program and co-director of the Kodiak Center.
The center will become more closely aligned with SFOS academic, research and outreach programs. Improvements also include increased communication with both the seafood industry and the Kodiak community and distance-delivery courses to local residents. Other plans include the development of a suite of short courses for the seafood industry as well as support for the state鈥檚 first seafood food science class, to be offered at Kodiak High School this fall.
鈥淲e will fold the Fish Tech Center more fully into all of the programs of the 91原创 School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences,鈥 said Keith Criddle, director of the School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences鈥 fisheries division and now co-director of the Kodiak Center. 鈥淪tudents from around the state who are interested in a seafood focus can study under either the undergraduate or graduate student programs in fisheries offered by the School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. This will increase opportunities for undergraduate and graduate studies in seafood as part of our proven degree programs.鈥
The changes are the result of the work of a task force appointed by 91原创 Chancellor Brian Rogers. The group included members of the Kodiak and other coastal 91原创 communities, statesmen, commercial fish processors, Kodiak College and 91原创 faculty and staff. The Fishery Industrial Technology Center was created in 1981 by the 91原创 Legislature to provide research support for 91原创鈥檚 seafood industry.
ADDITIONAL CONTACT: Paula Cullenberg, MAP leader, 907-274-9692, paula.cullenberg@alaska.edu.
CS/8-5-11/028-12