Julie Davis, Msc student in FAA of Dr. Bill Walton, was awarded the competitive Michael Castagna Student Award for Applied Research (https://shellfish.org/castagna.htm) at the 2012 annual meeting of NSA in Seattle, WA.
(Left) Julie Davis’ accepting her award of $1,250 from outgoing President Dr. Joth Davis.
Prompted by questions from local beginning commercial oyster farmers in Alabama and in consultation with experienced oyster farmers from South Australia, Julie isconducting an experimental field study of the combined effects of different basket orientation in the long-line system and stocking densities upon the growth and development of oysters. These seemingly basic questions have the potential to significantly impact yield, labor, and the quality of the farmed product; Julie’s rigorous experimental work will have both immediate, local application (with results being put into use immediately in the Gulf of Mexico) as well as
more widely, with the long-line system in use around the world for oyster farming. Ultimately, Julie’s research will allow her to identify specific production methods that produce a high-quality, high value oyster.