Aaron Pilnick Raises a Prickly Subject: Diadema Sea Urchin Aquaculture for Coral Reef Restoration
Childhood aquarium keeping has been an introduction and gateway for many professionals working in public aquaria, aquaculture, fisheries, and natural resource conservation. My guest today, Aaron Pilnick, has done all of the above – and today is a doctoral candidate at the University of Florida studying Diadema antillarum- the long spined sea urchin. Join us, as we learn about Aaron’s journey from hobbyist to aquarist to scientist, and how his Diadema can help restore Caribbean coral reefs.
BIO:
Aaron is currently a doctoral candidate with the University of Florida pursing a PhD in Interdisciplinary Ecology with the University of Florida. His interest in aquariums began in early 2000’s when he and his older brother started keeping tropical fish in their parents' basement in the New York suburbs. When not playing baseball, weekends persisted of trips to local fish stores and the Long Island Aquarium. After a family relocation to Orlando, FL, during high school, Aaron spent his free time fishing, scuba diving, and working at both a local fish store (Sea in the City) and veterinary hospital. Aaron then continued on to pursue a double major in Biology and Environmental Studies at Tufts University in Boston, MA. During college his first professional internship was at the New England Aquarium where he worked in the Tropical Gallery as an Aquarist Assistant.
After multiple internships involving fisheries ecology research in the Northern Gulf of Mexico and cold-water coral reef ecology in New England, Aaron was hired as a full-time Aquarist at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, MD, in 2015. There, he was responsible for maintaining the institution’s live coral reef exhibits (among other responsibilities). While in Baltimore he developed a passion for coral reef conservation as AZA facilities, including the one he worked at, were starting to organize national coral rescue programs. In 2018, Aaron moved back down to his home state of Florida where he began pursuing graduate studies with a focus on restoration aquaculture with the University of Florida. He now works alongside the Florida Aquarium, along with mentor Martin (Skip) Moe, developing protocols to mass produce the ecologically important long-spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum.