Pukyong National University

The Aquaculture Systems Laboratory under Prof. Park Jeong-Hwan, Dept. of Marine Bio-Materials and Aquaculture

"Specializes in the commercialization of smart aquaculture that will lead the future of human-food"

"I would say, the field which can combine advanced transdisciplinary study such as engineering and environment is 'aquaculture'."

The research center of Pukyong National University, which is working to commercialize smart aquaculture, a key field in the era of the 4th industrial revolution to secure food resources for the future, is attracting public attention.

It is the ‘Aquaculture Systems Laboratory’ in Pukyong National University’s Fisheries Science College, led by Professor Park Jeong-Hwan (Dept. of Marine Bio-Materials and Aquaculture).

Professor Park's research team was recently selected for the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries' 'Projects to solve current issues in fisheries'. The project will bring in 1.78 billion won over 3 years.

As seen from the title of the project, the goal of this project is to develop technology that can be applied in the field. The research team, together with the Advanced Aquaculture Research Center of the National Institute of Fisheries Science (NIFS) and joint R&D institutes such as Aquapro Co., Ltd., embarked on 'Development of convergence technology to improve productivity and secure the safety of the Recirculating Aquaculture System'.

This research is to develop a convergence expansion system that applies the Aquaponics system, an eco-friendly hydroponic farming method that has recently been attracting attention from the world of aquaculture, to a water recirculating aquaculture system. The goal is to develop an eco-friendly convergence system that recycles water in eel farming to grow lettuce and then be reused for eel farming again.

Professor Park said, "I expect that by solving the water quality management problem in recirculating aquaculture systems in an eco-friendly way, the use of disinfectants and antibiotics will be greatly reduced to secure the safety of aquaculture products, and to help improve the profitability of fishermen and farmers by increasing the productivity of hydroponic crops."

In this way, the Aquaculture Systems Laboratory is researching the technology necessary to enhance design and apply it to various systems and devices that can breed industrially useful aquaculture organisms at high density based on mathematical theories.

Above all, it focuses research on Indoor shrimp production system (ISPS), such as environmentally friendly recirculating aquaculture systems and biofloc systems, and the development of appropriate farming management techniques.

Professor Park stressed, "Studying aquaculture systems is like building a house. Ultimately, it is necessary to create an environment in which fish can live well. For this, it is important to comprehensively combine various disciplines such as engineering, hydraulics, fluid mechanics, and water chemistry. For this reason, I am emphasizing a convergence and holistic approach to students in the lab when conducting research."

The research object that the Aquaculture Systems Laboratory is focusing on is the recirculating aquaculture system. He said, "To enable high-density aquaculture in the indoor environment, it is necessary to optimize the environment using a wide variety of knowledge, such as ICT technologies as well as biological approaches. Currently, we are trying to integrate these technologies with industry to become a true smart form."

In order for research conducted in the laboratory to be commercialized, the first thing we should pay attention to is the establishment of a cooperative system with companies. It is essential for researchers and companies to closely cooperate in real time. Therefore, the Aquaculture Systems Laboratory is working in various ways to maximize the effects of research and industry-academic cooperation, such as by making an effort to build the Fisheries Science & Technology Center(FSTC) of Pukyong National University located in Goseong to become a mecca for industry-academic cooperation in the aquaculture field.

In addition, based on the material and energy kinetics in the system, the laboratory is also conducting research on water treatment development, water quality control technology, and water quality monitoring techniques to effectively design and operate systems that can produce environmentally friendly and high-density aquaculture systems.

After completing his bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees at Pukyong National University, Professor Park worked as a researcher at Gangwon Provincial University and North Carolina State University, as a professor at Arkansas State University, and then as a professor at his alma mater, Pukyong National University. He is putting his knowledge and experience back into education and research at Pukyong National University, which has been researching fisheries and the marine field the longest in Korea.

In addition, he served as an industrialization advisor for the National Science Foundation's Membrane Science Engineering and Technology (MAST) Center in US, as well as aquaculture technology representative for Arkansas at the Southern Regional Aquaculture Center of the United States Department of Agriculture, and as a reviewer for a small and medium-sized business research project in the aquaculture sector. Since 2017, he has been recognized for his capabilities in the field of fisheries internationally, such as becoming the lead professor of the Department of Aquaculture Technology at Pukyong National University's Graduate School of Global Fisheries, which transfers Korea's advanced fishery technology to developing countries.

Professor Park said, "Fisheries, such as aquaculture, are emerging as a future food not only for Korea but also for the world now. Universities should actively cooperate by transferring excellent technology so that excellent companies in aquaculture, fishery processing, and distribution can grow into future companies. I will do my best to contribute to solving the food resource problems of mankind as well as creating quality jobs for the young." <Pukyong Today>