Accelerate Faculty

Biology

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• Development and management of recirculating aquaculture and aquaponics systems
• Yellow perch fish husbandry
• Passionate about sustainable food system education and community engagement

BIOGRAPHY

Emma Ray is the greenhouse manager at Alverno College where she oversees the day-to-day operations of the greenhouse and aquaponics system, a state-of-the-art facility that sustainably grows yellow perch, vegetables and other plants. Students are able to engage in hands-on learning, participate in research projects, and explore career paths in sustainable food systems, urban agriculture, water quality research, conservation and community engagement in the 1,400-square-foot greenhouse. Ray also mentors and manages the student lab assistant crew which works in the greenhouse and on various sustainability efforts across campus.

Prior to coming to Alverno, Ray served as a youth educational outreach coordinator and hatchery technician at The Farmory, an educational urban farm in Green Bay. There she was responsible for operating and managing a variety of recirculating aquaculture systems, as well as raising perch and walleye while conducting research on feeding and other environmental factors. She also has extensive experience in a variety of greenhouse and hatchery operational skills, including collecting and analyzing data, designing aquaponics systems, water quality management, biosecurity practices, designing and constructing a fish transport system, and managing and training volunteers.

Ray earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, and her Master of Science in Freshwater Sciences and Technology from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.