Dr. Juli-anne royes Russo SCIENCE BIO
Dr. Juli-Anne Royes Russo was born in Kingston, Jamaica. She attended Immaculate Conception Prep and High School and later the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus. After graduating with a BS in Chemistry and a minor in Zoology from the Department of Life Sciences, Juli-Anne worked with the Ministry of Agriculture Bodles Research Station as a Livestock Research Officer. There she conducted nutrition studies to enhance the milk production of the Jamaica Hope dairy cattle. While at Bodles, she was awarded an USAID scholarship to pursue her Masters of Science in Animal Nutrition at the University of Florida. After graduating she returned to Jamaica and worked on one of Jamaica’s only marine shrimp hatchery, and as a Farm manager on one of the largest ornamental fish farms in Jamaica. She returned to the University of Florida and was awarded a full Graduate Fellowship to pursue her Ph.D. in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences where she specialized in diseases and nutritional management for fish. For her post-doctoral studies, she was awarded a three-year Research fellowship at Hubbs Sea World Research Institute in San Diego California. There she had the opportunity to conduct research at the only research facility in the USA for marine fish culture and stock enhancement and participate in aquaculture activities as an Aquatic Animal Nutritionist, at SeaWorld, San Diego, Birch Aquarium and Scripps Oceanographic Institute in La Jolla. One of the highlights of her career was as a Senior Scientist at one of the largest pet food companies in the USA where for 5 years she created and managed from innovation to market over 40 products with several skus for the aquarium market.
Dr. Royes Russo’s career has encompassed government, academia, the food industry and entrepreneurship. She has worked to improve the nutritional and health status of beef & dairy cattle; small companion animals; freshwater, marine, aquarium and food fish. Now, as an aquaculture consultant, she has provided her expertise to NGOs such as USAID and IDB developing workshops and training fish farmers in Jamaica, Zambia and Nepal to improve the nutritional and health status of their fish. More recently she was an Aquaculture Biosecurity consultant at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome, Italy.
With over 15 years of experience, Dr. Royes Russo recently formed the Caribbean Aquaculture Network. The goals of the network are to share scientific knowledge, inspire and motivate aqua enthusiasts and fish farmers. Juli-Anne also wants to increase the awareness in Jamaica and the Caribbean region of the field of aquaculture and all that it encompasses including job creation and food security. As a member of the coalition for Blue and Aquatic Foods, she believes that Jamaicans should learn more about the full potential of sustainable blue, or aquatic, foods – such as fish, shellfish, aquatic plants and seaweed, captured or cultivated in freshwater or marine ecosystems – to help build nature-positive, equitable and resilient food systems. The Network hosts Caribbean Scientists who give presentations on their field of expertise, interview aquaculture students, and will be creating technical workshops for farmers. She also volunteers with USAID, Farmer to Farmer and Winrock International to provide technical services to fish farmers in developing countries. Her interests are in food and nutrition security, women in aquaculture, aquaculture biosecurity, environmental sustainability and rural development..
In October of 2023, Juli-Anne was awarded a Fulbright Specialist Program Award to conduct research, teach and mentor young scientists at the Island School Cape Eleuthera Institute in Eleuthera, the Bahamas. She was also a nominee for an Ocean Leader award in 2023.
Curiculum Vitae:
Title: Technical Aquaculture Consultant
Ph.D.: Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
Years’ experience:> 15 in managing projects within the aquaculture and food animal industries
Email: jroyesrusso@gmail.com
Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Juli-Anne-Royes
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianneroyesrusso/
Website: https://www.julianneroyes.com/
Summary
Aquaculture Scientist | Research and Development | Biosecurity Specialist | Science Communicator. Experienced in aquatic animal disease prevention and biosecurity implementation, nutritional management, food product development and manufacturing of aquatic animal feeds. Skilled at partnering with scientists, farmers, NGOs and manufacturing.
EDUCATION
Ph.D. 2004. Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
M.S. 2011. 9 Credits taken towards Human Nutrition and Food Science. Montclair State University, NJ
MAB 2002 12 Credits taken towards Agribusiness Management, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
M.S. 1996. Animal Nutrition. University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
B.Sc. 1991. Chemistry & Zoology. University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica
PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT
AQUACULTURE SPECIALIST CONSULTANT Current
Technical Consultant and Project Manager - 7 years
• Work with NGOs servicing developing countries to enhance aquaculture production for small farmers
• Provide technical support and training to unit supervisors and their support staff
• Train farmers, extension officers, university professionals in aquaculture production
• Conduct workshops in fish nutrition and fish feed management
• University and college curriculum development
• Evaluate fish health management programs and train personnel in disease management
• Conduct workshops in fish nutrition and fish feed management
• Technical transfer to fish farmers via on-site seminars & Skype workshops
• Worked in Malaysia, Nepal, Panama, Jamaica, Mexico
FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL ORGANIZATION of the UNITED NATIONS, (FAO) Rome, Italy 2021
Aquaculture Branch
Aquaculture Biosecurity Consultant – 6 months
• Provided support to animal health information systems
• Assisted in the administrative and operational aspects of project implementation
• Contribution to disease strategy manuals (Epizootic Ulcerative Syndrome – EUS, Tilapia Lake Virus – TiLV)
• Assisted in the preparation of aquaculture biosecurity-related guidance documents and toolkits for the Progressive Management Pathway for improving Aquaculture Biosecurity
• Contributed to the case studies on burden of diseases of aquatic organisms
• Data/information/statistics on various aspects of Aquatic Animal Health (AAH) and biosecurity needed for concept Notes and other relevant articles
• Assistance in the development of an aquaculture biosecurity webpage within the FAO corporate
• Assisted in preparation of the following workshops:
Designing an active surveillance for Tilapia Lake Virus (TiLV)” (online course 26 March – 15 April 2021)
FishVet Dialogue” (online event 7-9 June 2021)
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY, NEWARK, NJ, USA 2016
Biomedical and Health Sciences, New Jersey Medical School & School of Dental Medicine
Project Manager/ Research Teaching Specialist III
Co-ordinated the research activities of five national and international laboratories conducting research on alternatives to antibiotics for treating multi-drug resistant infections
Managed $7 million-dollar budget of the grants associated with ongoing research projects
Conducted data analysis and project reporting to supporting funding agencies
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5101354/
file:///C:/Users/juli-anne/Downloads/Effect_of_predatory_bacteria_on_the_gut_bacterial_.pdf
COMPETE CARIBBEAN/IADB, KINGSTON, JAMAICA 2015
Technical Consultant - 1 year
• Created and developed training workshops for the ornamental fish farm industry in Jamaica
• Taught fish health management, fish nutrition and fish feed management to farmers, trainers and government officials
• Provided on farm extension services to small- and large-scale fish farmers
HARTZ MOUNTAIN CORPORATION, BLOOMFIELD NJ 2012
(One of largest pet products companies in United States)
Senior Research and Development Scientist | Product Developer – 5 years
• Formulated over 40 fish foods & water treatments under Wardley® brand from concept to market.
• Led brainstorming teams to produce new ideas in all categories of animal products
• Supervised up to 12 personnel in manufacturing of over 40 nutritional products, including nutritional supplements for several species of small animals and birds
• Led the continuous improvement of products • Communicated technical skills to the multi-functional teams (quality control, marketing, sales & finance) and ensuring high levels of quality and customer satisfaction. • Built, established and maintained relationships with industry, academia
• Reformulated & improved existing foods which led to a $1.3 M cost savings.
• Identified & developed new products which accounted for 17% of the total company revenues
HUBBS–SEA WORLD RESEARCH INSTITUTE, SAN DIEGO, CA, USA 2007
(Research Institute dedicated to environmental sustainability)
Post-Doctoral Research Associate – 2 years
· Marine fish nutrition research conducted in Carlsbad, La Jolla, Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico
· Development of brood stock and larval diets for white seabass (Atractoscion nobilis) and California yellowtail (Seriola lalandi).
· Developed a nutrition & feed management program for species cultured at HSWRI
· Formulated & developed feeds with added vitamins and carotenoids to enhance reproduction Marine Fish native to the Pacific Coast off Carlsbad and Catalina Island in California.
· Developed a complete pelleted diet for adult marine fish, which could be implemented to aid sustainability of marine fish in the wild
· Conduct nutrition and feeding workshops to brood stock and larval rearing technicians
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, GAINSVILLE, FL 1999-2004
Graduate Research Associate
· Assisted in developing diets for regional fish
· Extension: Nutrition & feed management, fish disease diagnostics
PAST WORK EXPERIENCE IN JAMAICA 1992, 1996, 1998
Bodles Agriculture Research Station, Livestock Officer
Hellshire Hatchery, Shrimp Algae production manager
Tropical Exotics Ornamental fish farm, Farm operations manager
CONSULTING POSITIONS
Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture Farmer to Farmer program
Aquaculture Consultant
Location: Zambia, April 2021
Taught Principles of water quality management, on site feed formulations and making farm made fish feeds
Winrock International, USAID, Farmer to Farmer, Washington DC
Senior Technical Consultant, Fish Nutrition
Location: Rupandehi District, Nepal, March 2018
Taught Principles of fish production, water quality, fish nutrition and fish disease diagnostics to carp farmers
USAID, Partners to America, Farmer to farmer program, Washington DC
Technical Consultant, Aquaculture Specialist
Location: Kingston, Jamaica, November 2006
Taught Principles of fish production, water quality, fish nutrition and fish disease diagnostics for ornamental & freshwater food fish
Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA
Fish nutrition Consulting Services for ornamental marine species
SeaWorld, San Diego, CA
Fish Nutrition Consulting Services for Pacific Ocean species
CERTIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
Aquaculture biosecurity: Understanding Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Aquaculture, FAO, 14-15 April 2021
Aquamed Fish Health Course, Louisiana State University, LA
Diseases of Warm Water Fish, University of Florida, FL
Aquaculture Feed Preparation, Nutrition and Feed Management, Texas A & M University, TX
Aquaculture Feed Extrusion, Nutrition and Feed Formulation, Texas A& M University, TX
Agribusiness Management & Entrepreneurship , University of Florida, FL
Seafood HACCAP, New York Sea Grant, NY
Better Processing School , Penn State University
Food Technology, Rutgers University
ACADEMIC AWARDS & HONOURS
Women award & travel grant from Asia Pacific Chapter to WAS Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia 24-27th July 2017
Fellowship from DARDEN group of companies to conduct post-doctoral research at HSRI, San Diego, 2005-2007
Financed 100% education through scholarships and University grants:
Graduate Fellowship from the University of Florida to pursue Ph.D., 2000-2004
USDA-CSREES grant to conduct research, 2000-2003
USAID - Caribbean and Latin American Scholarship to pursue MS, 1993-1996
PROFFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Aquaculture without Frontiers (AwF)
Association of International Seafood Professionals
World Aquaculture Society (WAS)
Global Aquaculture Alliance