Fellowships & Internships
November 6, 2025
Jonathan van Senten named director of Virginia Seafood AREC
Current Director Michael Schwarz transitioning to associate director as part of a planned leadership succession.
Nearly a decade after joining the Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center (AREC), Jonathan van Senten has been named its next director — a transition that marks the next chapter of the center’s growth and leadership.
Former Director Michael Schwarz transitioned into van Senten’s role of associate director on Sept. 25 as part of a planned leadership succession.
Van Senten joined the Virginia Seafood AREC in 2016 as a postdoctoral associate after receiving his Ph.D. in aquaculture economics. He then moved to an assistant professor and Extension specialist role with the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics before assuming the role of associate director in 2024.
Van Senten also currently leads the Seafood Economics and Marketing Research team at the Virginia Seafood AREC, where his research primarily focuses on regulatory compliance costs for U.S. aquaculture, the economic impact of aquaculture and the seafood industry, as well as finding ways to enhance the sustainability of these industries from an environmental and financial standpoint.
Van Senten has worked closely with Schwarz since arriving at the Virginia Seafood AREC almost a decade ago. His appointment as director reflects both his expertise and the long-planned transition envisioned by Schwarz.
“Jonathan has demonstrated his abilities, expertise, and excellence so well that I think he was a natural choice for my replacement,” Schwarz said. “Over nine years with the center, he has demonstrated great character and personality and a strong work ethic.”
VSAREC's New Home
The newly constructed Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center (AREC) is more than just a building — the new $10 million complex in Hampton signals a reaffirmation of a 50-year-old commitment to supporting the future of the seafood industry in Virginia and beyond.
The Center is recognized as a center of excellence for live feeds and hatchery production technologies. The aquaculture program is highly adjustable and responsive to stakeholder needs, with the capacity to operate freshwater, brackish, and saltwater systems. The recirculating aquaculture programs focus on system design and operation, larviculture, fish feeds and nutrition, environmental optimization, and disease control for marine species.
In addition to fisheries research facilities and classrooms, on-site facilities include microbiological laboratories where researchers advance technology in cellular agriculture, alternative proteins, and sustainable food systems. Interwoven with other core center programs, research in economics and marketing covers areas of business development, assessing regulatory challenges facing aquaculture producers, and capturing the economic impact of industry sectors to strengthen economic competitiveness.
Leveraging Leadership
Schwarz is a pioneer in aquaculture research and innovation with almost 40 years of experience in the field. After earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in aquaculture from Texas A&M University, he helped design and build one of the first vertically integrated fish farms in the nation. Schwarz then went on to found an international aquaculture consulting firm — Quantum Tides Inc. — before joining Virginia Tech in 1997 to build its new Marine Aquaculture Program as an aquaculture specialist. He was named director of the Virginia Seafood AREC in 2017.
Schwarz’s top priorities have been to move the Virginia Seafood AREC into an updated facility and increase research expenditures, with the purpose of growing its research programs. He achieved both goals within his first five years — ultimately leveraging these state-of-the-art facilities to secure experienced, top-quality faculty to run these programs and expand the impact of the center.
Schwarz’s influence extends far beyond Virginia. He previously served as president of the World Aquaculture and US Aquaculture Societies, and on a myriad of boards and committees, including as a founding member of the International Initiative for Sustainable and Biosecure Aquafarming and of the Science Advisory Board of the Caribbean Aquaculture Education and Innovation Hub.
“Over nine years with the center, he has demonstrated great character and personality and a strong work ethic,” Schwarz said.
(From left) Michael Schwarz and Jonathan van Senten speak at conference. Photo by Keri Rouse for Virginia Tech.
“The Virginia Seafood AREC has long served Virginia’s seafood and aquaculture communities through applied research and Extension,” van Senten said. “Our expanded team and programs have strengthened that mission, positioning us to build on this legacy and advance new opportunities for the industries we support.”
Supporting Coasts and Communities
Van Senten was appointed to the Virginia Marine Products Board by Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2022 and continues to support the board’s marketing program to expand domestic and international sales and the economic development of the seafood industry. He also has affiliations with the Center for Advanced Innovation in Agriculture at Virginia Tech and Virginia Sea Grant.
Van Senten’s leadership and research in the seafood industry space have been integral to the growth and cultivation of the aquaculture and seafood industries, ultimately bolstering coastal communities and Virginia’s economy. In his new role, he plans to build on his priorities as associate director to support the seafood industry and advance the growth of aquaculture.
“The Virginia Seafood AREC has long served Virginia’s seafood and aquaculture communities through applied research and Extension,” van Senten said. “Our expanded team and programs have strengthened that mission, positioning us to build on this legacy and advance new opportunities for the industries we support.”
Van Senten earned his Ph.D. from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, his master’s degree from the University of Miami, and his bachelor’s degree from Barry University.
Story by Grace Duregger | Virginia Tech VSAREC
Photos by Grace Duregger and Keri Rouse | Virginia Tech VSAREC
Originally Published Nov. 3, 2025.
Republished with Permission on December 4, 2025
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