Eli Kurtz

Eli began working with aquaculture in college, as a technician on a recirculating farm growing salmon and sturgeon, and subsequently on a seaweed farming operation. He went on to earn an MS in marine science and technology from the University of Massachusetts Boston, during which time he developed novel underwater acoustic sensors for monitoring ocean aquaculture sites. After graduating, Eli received a fellowship from the Department of Energy in Environmental Management, in which he worked applying laser spectroscopy methods to analyze contaminated liquids. Eli joined NOAA as a contracted Ocean Engineer in March 2026, and works out of the NEFSC Milford Laboratory on developing engineering standards for the offshore aquaculture industry. He is interested generally in sensors, monitoring systems, spectroscopy, and product prototyping.

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