Ann. Joseph A. Venuti Jr. Scholarship Fund Announcement

[scavdog]

10/26/2022 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:


It is with great pleasure that the Boston Reefer Society in conjunction with Polo Reef and Marco Rocks announces the The Joseph A. Venuti Jr. Marine Science & Conservation Scholarship. This annual scholarship will be awarded to a candidate who exhibits both academic excellence and a passion for the conservation of the worlds coral reef environments.

The Boston Reefers Society was founded on the principals of education, conservation and comradery. One person that embodied those principals was Joe Venuti (@SALTYOLDDOG).

Joe with his wife Joan during a club trolley tour in Boston along with Eric Borneman (Author: Corals of the world).

Joe Venuti was an early mentor and supporter of the Boston Reefers Society. As an importer and salt water aquarium store owner in the late 60's and early 70's, Joe was a pioneer in the Marine scene when captive fish and coral care were in their genesis. His store supplied ornamental fish to public aquariums including the New England Aquarium and others on the east coast. He was THE guy at MACNA - From Greg Schiemer to Julian Sprung, Joe knew everyone.

Prior to the club's formation, we met Joe back in the Reefs.org / ReefCentral days in 2000/2001. An electrical engineer by trade, he had a knack for building his own reefkeeping equipment. Leveraging his professional background, he helped countless local reefkeepers wire ballasts and fix equipment. He invited many other club members into his home to observe his beautiful reef which used 100% natural sea water that he collected locally. As the club formed he made key introductions with manufacturers and educators.

Joe's kitchen display tank.

Beyond his connection to the industry. Joe was the first one to administer new advice to the budding hobbyist; a generous guy that would give you the shirt off his back. He was well ahead of his time and has influenced many a hobbyist and set the course for the Boston Reefers as an organization.

Joe passed on from this life in 2020. We truly hope his legacy inspires others. His obituary can be viewed here:

https://www.gatelyfh.com/obituaries/Joseph-A-Venuti-Jr?obId=16755712

FIND OUT MORE AT FragsGiving 2022 on November 12th!


@BRS Member
@marco67
@StourysReef
@Officer

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

What a great tribute to Joe, he truly was a class act. One of the many reasons why I'm involved with this organization, well done.

 

[ShelleyBoston]

Was Joe from Melrose? I think I may have met him.

 

[Arsalan]

Shout out to @scavdog for master minding this, and working tightly w @BiGGiePauls33 to secure funding and pulling it all together. This is huge for the club and hobby. I know i personally wasn’t an active participant in driving it to fruition but certainly proud to be associated. These guys are doing charity work for the club and i think everyone needs to be aware of it. The whole BRS leadership deserves major credit for the work they’re doing these day.

Anyway I can’t wait to hear about the value added to young hobbyists / reef enthusiasts via this scholarship.

 

[scavdog]

Was Joe from Melrose? I think I may have met him.

Indeed he was.

 

[ShelleyBoston]

Indeed he was.

Oh God rest his soul he was such a nice guy! he showed me his tank and shared a few tips with me a few years back.

 

[frank180reef]

Great guy

As Shelly says may God rest his soul

 

[marco67]

Boy did I love that guy!
I have so many fond memories of Joe, so many great dinners all over the country and for his final act of kindness toward me, learning of his passing, while 2.5 years late, caused me to reconnect with so many great friends in the club and almost get a chance to come up and reconnect in person. Unfortunately this inbound hurricane had other plans for me and as of this morning I had to cancel my flights.
Good luck with the fund raiser MarcoRocks will be in the house in spirit and in product as will Joe and I'm sure he'll be giving someone crap...LOL probably Scavo, maybe me too.

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

Boy did I love that guy!
I have so many fond memories of Joe, so many great dinners all over the country and for his final act of kindness toward me, learning of his passing, while 2.5 years late, caused me to reconnect with so many great friends in the club and almost get a chance to come up and reconnect in person. Unfortunately this inbound hurricane had other plans for me and as of this morning I had to cancel my flights.
Good luck with the fund raiser MarcoRocks will be in the house in spirit and in product as will Joe and I'm sure he'll be giving someone crap...LOL probably Scavo, maybe me too.

Sorry to hear about the storm brewing, sending good vibes your way. Thank you for donating to our cause, it's greatly appreciated Marc.

 

[Phinfan]

He was a great guy.

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

"FragsGiving 2022 is a collaboration between the Boston Reefers Society along with industry partners in an effort to unite for a greater purpose: educate and give back to the community.

The Boston Reefers Society is in its 20th year as a 501c3 non-profit educational organization. We are committed to spreading awareness and promoting interest in, and enjoyment of, all aspects of the marine aquarium hobby. We continue to educate the public on topics related to the biology, physiology and chemistry of reef biotopes through the sponsorship of meetings and lectures along with print and digital publications.

For over 2 decades we have maintained an online forum that allows for sharing resources and information among local aquarium enthusiasts. We continually support research, education and conservation efforts aimed at improving marine and coral reef environments and strive to educate young people about aquatic life.

This year we’ll be announcing The Joseph A. Venuti Jr. Marine Science & Conservation Scholarship. This Scholarship will grant 2 deserving students with individual $5000.00 awards.


Joe was an early mentor, supporter and pioneer in the ornamental marine industry. His business supplied ornamental fish to the New England Aquarium and many others on the east coast. Joe facilitated introductions to key figures in the industry, including the likes of Greg Scheimer to Julian Sprung.


Beyond his connection to the industry, Joe was the first one to administer new advice to the budding hobbyist; a generous guy that would give you the shirt off of his back. He was well ahead of his time and has influenced many a hobbyist and set the course for the Boston Reefers Society as an educational organization.

Andrew Sandler of Polo Reefs interests go beyond the intricacies of the reefkeeping hobby. Mr Sandler not only helps the local reef hobbyists, he also supports world-wide research and education efforts aimed at the preservation and restoration of the world's coral reefs.


Andrew has generously offered to solely support the first of 2 scholarships being awarded. The 2nd scholarship will be supported by proceeds raised from fundraising efforts made by Boston Reefers Society in conjunction with generous donations by premier sponsors Marco Rocks and Polo Reefs.

We look forward to meeting each and every one of you on Saturday November 12th, 2022 at the Topsfield Fairgrounds!

Happy Reefing,
Boston Reefers Society, Inc."

 

[scavdog]

@BRS Member

Good afternoon folks.

After combing over close to 450 applicants, I am proud to announce the recipients of the 1st Annual Joseph A. Venuti Marine Science and Conservation Scholarship.

Big Shout out to Andrew Sandler of Polo Reef along with the Venuti Family and Marco Rocks, The Boston Reefers Society, sponsors and members for making this a reality!

Each recipient was awarded $5000.00 to cover tuition along with other associated school expenses.

It is my pleasure to spotlight their winning essays below!

Erika Cabell
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, HI

Growing up in Hawaii, I have always revered and respected the sea. My father has been a diver my entire life and never failed to reiterate to me the sense of awe and wonder he encountered in the ocean. My early life primed me to become a marine biologist; the question was not whether I would go into marine science, but what area of marine science I would focus on. A wonderful series of events has resulted in me focusing on coral reefs.

I am investigating the morphophysiology and resilience to stress in an endemic Hawaiian octocoral species. Sarcothelia edmondsoni has been noted to be the most common octocoral on Hawaiian reefs and is abundant in areas heavily impacted by human populations and was therefore deemed a bioindicator of anthropogenic stress. It has increased in abundance following freshwater flooding events and resists thermal bleaching. Many corals eject their symbiotic algae, or zooxanthellae, during prolonged periods of stress and bleach. However, S. edmondsoni appears to retain its symbionts and resist bleaching. One study noted that disturbance of a congeneric species reliably resulted in the movement of zooxanthellae from the polyp to the stolon, and from the gastrodermal tissue to the lumen in a process termed “symbiont migration”. Failure to understand the physiological limits of this endemic species threatens the long-term stability of Hawaiian reefs. As such, I will investigate the capacity for symbiont migration as a response to stress in the endemic soft coral.

In addition to focusing on the physiological mechanisms related to this species’ bleaching response, I intend to investigate the taxonomic composition of its symbiotic algae community. Moreover, S. edmondsoni has two distinct morphotypes which occupy different habitat regimes but are genetically indistinguishable. It is possible that these morphs are in fact ecomorphs that are being selected and diverging as a response to the environment. I will determine whether the morphotypes respond similarly to stress and whether they demonstrate similar symbiotic algae community compositions. This is very exciting as it will allow us to understand a lot more about the morphophysiology of this endemic species.

Coral reefs are one of the most productive ecosystems on the planet and one of the most threatened. Every day I am blown away by the diversity and the sheer complexity of corals, as well as reef ecosystems. The conversation surrounding the persistence of corals into the next century is controversial, with half of the workers I talk to believing it will work out and half having given up.

Despite moments of extreme ecological grief and depression, I believe my efforts would still best be focused on reefs. There’s a lot of knowing that still needs to be done. I believe that the best way I can give back to my community and help protect our natural world is through research and application. It is my hope that any new information can then be used to inform practices or develop techniques that may delay or prevent bleaching in reef-building corals.

It is my dream to help protect and preserve what’s left. Critically, I will not limit myself to corals but take what I’ve learned and apply it to the whole system. I have grown up in Hawaii and have spent much of my free time in our clear waters, chasing waterfalls, caves, and incredible mountaintop views. Similarly, I have seen the amount of nature continuously reduced as the island gets more developed. My dream is to live and breathe nature, to go to work in the field, and to absorb the world around me in order to understand and protect it.

Michael Rohs
Saint Xavier High School (Currently Ohio University) _Honors Program in Marine Sciences
Lebanon, OH

As a graduating high school senior on the cusp of starting college, it feels like the world is wide open – truly an amazing feeling. I will be starting my undergraduate education in the fall, and majoring in Marine and Aquatic Sciences at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.

I fell in love with oceans, ocean life, and all things water when I was young. I would visit our local zoo’s aquarium often, starting when I was just six months old. My mom tells me as I grew, so too did my interest. When I was just a toddler, we took my first trip to the ocean, and I think I fell in love with the water even before I can remember. Every chance I had to experience the ocean and the creatures living in it made me more and more interested in learning as much as I could.

I was thrilled when I was able to take my first snorkeling trip in the Florida Keys, and thus began a decades’ long tradition of going annually. We’d got to the same spots often enough, and as we continued our tradition, I realized that the reefs were less and less populated by sea creatures each time we went, the coral looked different and the situation seemed to get more notable with each visit. By age ten, I could see that the coral reefs were in serious danger, and a fire began to burn in me. It was then I decided my life needed to be in service to the oceans, and to saving the reefs specifically.

I continued learning about oceans and the environment in my teens, volunteering for the Cincinnati Zoo. I also chose a high school that I knew upon visiting was the place for me… the aquariums in the biology wing called my name. Starting in my freshman year and continuing today, I serve as an officer in the Marine Biology and Zoology clubs. I care for the creatures in the aquariums, assist a local aquatic shop in caring for our tanks, am currently training other students in proper aquarium care and maintenance to continue my work. Last summer, I had the opportunity to take a marine biology class in Hawaii and it was probably the most amazing thing I have ever experienced. I scuba dived with whale sharks, I learned more than I could have imagined, and it all just reinforced that my passions are true and I am exactly where I should be.

I would like to focus on reef sustainability in my collegiate career, specifically with regards to invertebrate creatures, such as crustaceans, who call reefs home. I am looking forward to being with experts and people who are also interested in this area, learning from them, and identifying what steps I can take, what I need to do, to help support the health and livelihood of these animals and their homes. I cannot say for certain what that will be right now –that is why my world feels wide open right now – there are many possibilities for me to embrace and do what I know I need to do. I am excited to help care for the creatures in OU’s aquariums, to assist in furthering existing and new research.

After my undergraduate work is complete, I plan on pursuing my Master’s and Ph.D. in marine and aquatic science. Ultimately, I would love to be a professor and have the opportunity to conduct research and continue to learn to help protect and sustain the coral reefs and those who call them home.

 

[kgstei]

Absolutely fantastic!

 

[MichaelJ]

Congratulations!

 

[PSU4ME]

This is wonderful, great job!!

 

[Sparent25]

Wow this is great! Congratulations to the winning recipients!

 

[Mike A]

This is AMAZING.

Huge Thank You to Joe and Paul and the leadership of the Boston Reefers organization, Marc from MarcoRocks and Mr. Sandler from PoloReef.

Joe Venuti was one of my best friends, if you knew Joe well, you’re aware of the extent to which he was always willing to help you.
There aren’t many days that pass where I don’t think of him, he is terribly missed.

Reading about the award grant, and all of it coming to reality is nothing short of wonderful.

A great tribute to a man who loved all things salt water aquarium related and was always willing to share his knowledge. An electrical engineer by trade and a real pioneer in this hobby who was amazing with do it yourself projects, building all kinds of equipment, collecting NSW and always driving on some epic roadtrips to visit reef stores, check out a famed speaker at the Brooklyn Aquarium, and we would never miss the annual tent sale at ThatFishPlace in PA.

Very grateful for all of the effort made here, I would imagine that this would have given a smile or two,

Congratulations to each recipient !

mike

 

[chadfish]

Fantastic

 

[Cjtabares]

This is awesome to see. Back in 2009, I was still kind of new to the hobby, I was lucky enough to get connected with Joe through some BRS members. We went to MACNA together, and I spent the drive and event learning from Joe and getting to meet hobby insiders, it was an amazing time, and a memory I will never forget. Just getting back into the hobby, I am sad to hear of his passing, but it is great to see this scholarship in his name.