High Tech Fish Bowl

Casual observers might never consider it but aquariums are very technical, highly engineered environments where sensitive marine organisms require specific living conditions just to survive.

Now, a group of Rowan University Engineering students is outfitting a tank at the New Jersey Academy for Aquatic Sciences in Camden with equipment to monitor those conditions and, hopefully, interest K-12 pupils in careers in engineering.

"All of us are interested in fish and that's why we thought this would be a great idea," said Laura Musumeci, 20, a junior civil and environmental engineering major from Galloway.

Designed to go live by January, the equipment will serve Rowan students in the freshmen engineering clinic, a semester-long hands-on project that changes every year. It will also serve K-12 students by providing real time data on a special new Web site.

"Our goal is to get young students interested in science and engineering," said Jessica Dennis, 22, a senior electrical and computer engineering major from Mt. Olive.

The 250-gallon tank will be monitored to collect a variety of data including PH levels, dissolved oxygen and conductivity to determine salt levels in the water.

Prof. Kauser Jahan, one of several engineering faculty members associated with the project, believes it's a natural not just for her students but for K-12 pupils and that emerging lessons can be varied and fascinating.

"Kids typically have pet fishes at home," she said. "When they go on field trips to the aquarium they can come back learning about pollution and environmental health, endangered species, all kinds of stuff. I wouldn't think many ever thought, for example, about the engineering involved in building a shark tank, water treatment or the remote reception of data. This is all engineering."

Additional links that might be of interest to you: Rowan University College of Engineering, Professor Kauser Jahan, South Jersey Technology Park, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Rowan University Undergraduate Admissions, Rowan University Graduate Admissions.