Environmental students attended professional conference for Aquatic Animal Life Support
During Spring Semester 2026, five Environmental Engineering Technology (EVT) students and EVT Program Chair Dr. Ann Gunkel attended the annual Symposium hosted by the Aquatic Animal Life Support Operators (AALSO) organization in Kansas City, Missouri.
The participating students enjoyed a six-day learning and idea exchange event with professionals and vendors involved in the zoo and aquarium industry.
At the Symposium, participants could rebuild pumps, size chillers, calibrate sensors, fuse pipe, and operate ozone systems on an automated 5,000 gallon, fully functional aquatic system called “The Big Automated Water Loop” (BAWL). Conference attendees also benefited from hands-on training workshops covering a wide range of topics.
The Cincinnati State students attended workshops on installation and maintenance of several types of equipment as well as sessions on water quality lab safety.
In addition, the students enjoyed a behind-the-scenes tour at the Kansas City Zoo and Aquarium.
Linda Renee Davies said, “Interacting with all of the vendors was great–I learned so much from them!”
Students appreciated the value of the “excellent hands-on training” from sessions like the small pump rebuild workshop that Ian Denney attended, and the demonstration of drum filter operations attended by La’Star Pugh.
Nick Smith commented, “The valve sizing class was just like being in our Fluid Mechanics class. It was great to see what we learned in class applied in the real world.”
Kenneth Summer also noted connections between college courses and the professional conference. “The water quality lab safety session emphasized the importance of aseptic techniques to prevent cross-contamination, just like I learned in my Cincinnati State Water Treatment and Analysis class.”
AALSO was founded in 1994 to strengthen connections between specialized equipment vendors and the facilities that the vendors help to design. The organization has over 1,200 members, 500 certified operators, and more than 300 vendor members who supply the zoo and aquarium industry with pumps, valves, filters, heat exchangers, sensors, and other equipment that is used in the water treatment industry.
AALSO encourages advancement of the science and technology of aquatic life support systems, and promotes exchange of information and experiences to enhance the quality of life for animals that are cared for within zoo and aquarium facilities.
Dr. Gunkel serves on the AALSO Board and is a member of the organization’s Education & Training Committee.
Cincinnati State is one of only 12 colleges and universities in the U.S. that gives students opportunities to earn AALSO certifications as part of college classes, and was the first college to offer two different certifications.
Cincinnati State students can earn AALSO Water Quality Level 1 certification in the course EVT 230 (Treatment Technologies) and AALSO Life Support Systems Level 1 certification in EVT 246 (Wastewater Operations).
Level 2 or 3 certifications in these areas can be obtained while attending the AALSO conference.
Dr. Gunkel noted the importance of attending the conference not only for the participating students but also for the EVT program. “The exchange of information with professionals and vendors is critical to providing relevant, high-quality education for our students, so well-trained graduates are ready to enter the workforce in a variety of environmental disciplines.”
In addition, as a result of participating in AALSO Symposiums, the EVT program was able to construct a BAWL (Big Automated Water Loop) on Clifton Campus in Main 101.
EVT faculty and students started by repurposing donated equipment from the Cincinnati State Middletown Campus but several vendors, including Georg Fisher (GF+), Ross HX, and the Cincinnati Zoo, also donated equipment for the on-campus BAWL.
The multi-part apparatus is used in several EVT classes and hands-on laboratory exercises, as well as during recruiting events, to demonstrate water treatment methods, water quality monitoring, and other aspects of water collection and distribution systems.
“Through networking at the AALSO Symposium, we formed partnerships with many of the vendors who donated equipment to build the BAWL and help us keep the BAWL up-to-date,” Dr. Gunkel said.
“These important partnerships also help ensure we have the skills needed to keep operating and maintaining our on-campus BAWL,” Dr. Gunkel added.