Hi, readers!
My name is Andrea Tarnecki, and I am new to the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium Engagement and Education Team this year. I am thrilled to be a part of this amazing team!
Currently, I am the lead investigator on a Sea Grant-funded workforce development program called the Commercial Oyster Aquaculture Sector Training (COAST) program. Through COAST, apprentices receive funding to work at an oyster farm and get hands-on training from those in the oyster aquaculture industry. Additionally, I am co-investigator on a Sea Grant project entitled Creating Resilient Oysters for Reef Restoration and Assessing Disease Infection Rates. My role in this research project, which began in summer of 2024, is to describe the presence of an oyster pathogen, Dermo, in relation to local environmental conditions and evaluate the risk of disease along the Mississippi and Alabama coasts.
My background
I am from northern Ohio (Go, Browns!) but grew up primarily in Tennessee. I have always had a passion for aquatic, slimy creatures and spent many hours catching fish and amphibians in the stream in my back yard. Since then, I knew I wanted to study marine biology, but I never could have guessed that I would end up in my dream job.
I received my undergraduate degree in biology with a minor in chemistry at Middle Tennessee State University, where I played French horn in the marching band and basketball pep band. Prior to graduation, I was looking into graduate programs, but the timing just wasn’t right. So, I took two years off to work at an environmental testing laboratory.
When the timing was right, I was excited to receive a graduate research assistant position at the Aquatic Microbiology Laboratory in the Auburn University’s School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences. During that time, my research focused on the bacterial communities associated with the mucosal surfaces (again, I love slime) of marine and freshwater fishes.
During that time, I transitioned to a Ph.D. program, still studying bacteria in fish, but also working with seafood safety in oysters. That research brought me down to the Auburn University Shellfish Laboratory in Dauphin Island, Alabama.
Mote Marine Lab
After graduation, I accepted a postdoctoral research position at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida, where my research focused on bacteria in aquaculture systems. Initially, I studied probiotics for larval fish and the influence of the environment on fish bacteria and health. I was hired as a full-time staff scientist and head of the Microbiology Division. The beauty of microbiology is that it lends itself to working with many different organisms.
During my time at Mote, I had the opportunity to work with fish (pompano, sheepshead minnows, sturgeon, common snook, red snapper, amberjack and Almaco jack), shrimp, manatees, sea turtles, clams, oysters and harmful algae.
Auburn Shellfish Lab
In 2021, I was hired at Auburn University as an assistant extension professor and director of the Auburn University Shellfish Laboratory (AUSL). The lab had grown substantially since I left for Florida, but it felt great to be back! AUSL is an extension office that is open to the public for tours and provides extension and outreach efforts focused on the needs of the oyster industry.
Research at AUSL is currently centered around oysters for aquaculture and restoration. Our group has research projects at every life stage, from larvae to adults. Some of our current projects are looking into oyster biology and physiology, probiotics, broodstock conditioning, gamete quality, influences of the environment on growth and survival, bird interactions with floating oyster aquaculture gear, use of aquaculture techniques for oyster restoration, and genetic breeding programs.
My husband, Joe, our dogs, Eddie and Kif, and our cat, Ranch, are glad to be back in Alabama. I look forward to sharing this journey with you all!
Meet the author
Andrea Tarnecki
Assistant Extension Professor
Andrea Tarnecki is an assistant extension professor at Auburn University's School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences.She connects with shellfish farmers and stakeholders to identify... Read more
Phone: 251-861-3018
Email: [email protected]