ST. PAUL and DULUTH, Minn. — Minnesota Sea Grant and Texas Sea Grant have announced the dates and locations for the 2027 Sea Grant Aquaculture Leadership Academy.
The Aquaculture Leadership Academy is a professional development and training program for early- and mid-career aquaculture extension professionals across the United States. The program will combine virtual training with in-person learning focused on freshwater and marine aquaculture systems.
Participants will visit aquaculture farms and facilities, engage with producers and develop skills related to extension, leadership, communication and collaboration. The academy will be organized around two cohorts and is expected to serve 60 participants.
Individuals from Sea Grant extension programs, land-grant extension programs, federal agencies and minority-serving institutions are eligible to participate.
The academy’s two in-person sessions will be:
- May 3-6, 2027, in St. Paul and Duluth, Minnesota
- Oct. 4-7, 2027, in Bay City, Texas
People interested in attending may complete the Aquaculture Leadership Academy program application. Applications are due Friday, October 30, 2026, at 5 p.m. Central Time. Applicants will be notified of application status by December 1, 2026.
Additional information about the academy, including eligibility, program structure and updates, is available at the 2027 Aquaculture Leadership Academy website.
Minnesota Sea Grant and Texas Sea Grant first announced the academy in May 2026. The two programs are partnering to expose participants to aquaculture systems, industries and extension needs in the Great Lakes and Gulf Coast regions.
Support for the academy comes from a $350,000 award administered by the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium in consultation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Sea Grant Office as part of the National Sea Grant Aquaculture Liaison project.
Minnesota Sea Grant is a system program of the University of Minnesota and one of 34 federal-university Sea Grant partnerships across the country supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Great Lakes and coastal states that encourage the wise stewardship of our marine resources through research, outreach, communication, education and technology transfer.
Texas Sea Grant is a unique partnership that unites the resources of the federal government, the state of Texas and universities across the state to create knowledge, tools, products and services that benefit the economy, the environment and the citizens of Texas.
Find this and all past Minnesota Sea Grant news releases on our website.
CONTACT
Julia Farley, Fisheries and Aquaculture Extension Educator, Minnesota Sea Grant, University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota Duluth, [email protected].
Mario Marquez, Aquaculture Program Manager, Texas Sea Grant at Texas A&M University, [email protected].
Amy Schrank, Associate Director, Extension Program Leader and Fisheries and Aquaculture Extension Educator, Minnesota Sea Grant, University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota Duluth, [email protected].
Chris Hale, Associate Director and Extension Lead, Texas Sea Grant at Texas A&M University, [email protected].
Marie Thoms, Associate Director, Communications Director, Minnesota Sea Grant, University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota Duluth, [email protected].