Jireh Clarington

Jireh, in her role as Lab & Research Specialist I, works in the aquaculture program and is primarily responsible for maintaining the life support systems crucial for the well-being of fish and invertebrates at the center, as well as caring for the animals themselves. She also actively engages in training and mentoring interns and visiting scholars. Before joining VSAREC, Jireh contributed to conservation aquaculture by breeding endangered Delta and Longfin smelt at the University of California, Davis.

Jireh's passion for aquatic life dates back to childhood, evolving into a specific interest in aquaculture while working towards her bachelor’s degree. Her first research experience was at Virginia Tech, working in a food science lab with steelhead trout. Since then, Jireh has been fascinated with the field of aquaculture and its myriad applications. While the bulk of her work has been with fish, Jireh has always been particularly fond of invertebrates, and in her spare time, she makes sculptures of them using various materials.