Jeffrey Silverstein Appointed USDA ARS National Program Leader for Aquaculture
Dr. Silverstein received his B.A. in Biology and East Asian Studies from Colgate University of Hamilton, New York, and his Ph.D. in Fisheries from the University of Washington, School of Fisheries at Seattle, Washington. He joined ARS in 1997, as a Research Geneticist at the Catfish Genetics Research Unit in Stoneville, Mississippi and in 2001 transferred to the National Center for Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture in Leetown, West Virginia. Prior to 1997, Dr. Silverstein worked at the University of Washington, School of Fisheries.
His research has focused on using physiological and genetic tools to identify and measure physiological traits of importance to fish farmers and combining quantitative genetic and molecular approaches to animal improvement.
Dr. Silverstein was part of the research team that developed a selectively improved line of channel catfish, with greater feed conversion and growth rate that was released to the U.S. catfish industry by USDA/ARS and Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. This significant contribution to the aquaculture industry received Federal Laboratory Consortium and USDA/ARS Technology Transfer awards. More recently he has led the development of a selective breeding and physiology program with rainbow trout at the USDA/ARS Leetown, West Virginia facility.
Dr. Silverstein will start his new assignment on October 1, 2007. He replaces Dr. Lew Smith, who retired last year. He can be reached by email at jeff.silverstein@ars.usda.gov.
