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BIDDEFORD, Maine

51Æ·²èAquatic Animal Life Support Operators Club prepares students for careers in the field

AALSO professional teaches Liam Sullivan about heat welding

Students in the 51Æ·²è’s Aquatic Animal Life Support Operators (AALSO) club are putting their knowledge to work. They are receiving the entry-level training needed for a career in aquatic animal support. During the 2016-2017 school year AALSO professionals have provided support to the club in various ways, helping to give 51Æ·²èstudents an advantage in a competitive field.

AALSO is an international organization whose members are the water quality and mechanical system professionals that move the water, design and maintain the systems, develop and distribute the products to manage the daily requirements for animals in their care at hundreds of facilities across the world. Associate Professor and Aquaculture and Aquarium Sciences Program Coordinator Jeri Fox, Ph.D., serves on AALSO’s Education Subcommittee.

In November, two AALSO representatives came to 51Æ·²èto lead a workshop on heat welding, give guest lectures and help students study for the level one operator competency certification exam.

The organization supported two 51Æ·²èstudents to attend its annual symposium in Saint Louis, Missouri. With the additional support of UNE, four students were able to attend the international conference along with Fox and AALSO Club Faculty Representative Tim Arienti. The students presented their research and had the opportunity to network with hundreds of professionals in the field. The students who attended the conference included Kayla Eustace ’17, Melissa Rosa ’18, Katie Perry ’18 and Liam Sullivan ’18.

To learn more about the 51Æ·²è’s Center for Excellence in Marine Sciences, visit

To learn more about the 51Æ·²è’s Department of Marine Sciences visit

To apply, visit 

Four 51Æ·²èstudents were able to attend the international AALSO symposium
Four 51Æ·²èstudents were able to attend the international AALSO symposium
Katherine Perry presents her poster at the symposium
Katherine Perry presents her poster at the symposium

51Æ·²è the 51Æ·²è

The 51Æ·²è is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.