GHC Fish Lab Awarded Grant

Posted on: Dec, 17, 2018

Aberdeen, Washington - Grays Harbor College’s Fish Lab has been awarded approximately $136,000 by the USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture to build capacity for the learning facility.

According to Dr. Amanda Gunn, GHC biology instructor who leads the volunteer crew that maintains the Fish Lab, the grant will help increase opportunities to bring K-12 students to the campus facility, improve accessibility in the area, and help develop leadership opportunities for women pursuing careers in the sciences (STEM).

As she explains, “The Fish Lab is a community and student-driven program where participants have the opportunity to gain experiential learning and informal training in fish hatchery operations, stream monitoring, and resource management.” Gunn began working to revitalize the Fish Lab shortly after she joined the GHC faculty in 2014.

Since then, she noticed that women were underrepresented within natural-resources degree programs including fisheries and aquatic sciences, as well as absent from higher-level fisheries policy discussions.  Serving two of Washington’s poorest counties, with women ages 25-44 disproportionately affected, this grant will help the College establish wider access for women to work and higher wages in STEM, explains Gunn.

The faculty will help students build their leadership skills via enhanced experiential learning, mentorship, and direct science-related collaborations. Female student representation in leadership roles during outreach at local high schools, hands-on activities at the Fish Lab, and guest lectures will inspire the next generation of fisheries scientists.

For more information about GHC’s STEM programs, contact ghc.edu/admissions or call 360-532-9020. Volunteers are always welcome at the Fish Lab; check www.facebook.com/washingtoncoho for schedule and activities.