David D. Kuhn
1230 Washington Street SW
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Education
- Ph.D., Civil Engineering, Virginia Tech, 2008
- M.S., Civil Engineering, Clarkson University, 2003
- B.S., Civil Engineering, Clarkson University, 2001
- B.S., Mathematics, Saint Lawrence University, 2000
Professional Appointments
2018 – Present: Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, Department of Food Science and Technology Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
2012 - 2018 Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, Department of Food Science and Technology Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
2010 - 2012: Research Assistant Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
2007 - 2010: Research Associate, Department of Food Science and Technology Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
2003 - 2007: Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
2001 - 2003: K12 Problem Based Learning Project Fellow, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY
2000 - 2000: Consultant, A.E. Hodsdon Consulting, Waterville, ME
1998 - 2000: Environmental Laboratory Technician, Northeast Laboratory Services Winslow, ME
Dave Kuhn, Ph.D., is a faculty member in the Department of Food Science and Technology at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. His aquatic laboratories have a track record for excellent animal husbandry. Understanding how to properly design, construct, and manage life-support systems for culturing aquatic animals is paramount for a top-tier aquatic research program. In addition to conducting research projects in the laboratory at Virginia Tech he has also served as a Principal Investigator on sponsored projects at nine privately owned aquaculture facilities that culture finfish, shrimp, oysters, or clams. Conducting research in these public-private partnerships brings a unique and practical aspect back to his research and outreach programs. He also has experience working on economic development projects in several different localities in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Dr. Kuhn earned his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Saint Lawrence University and Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Clarkson University. He went on to earn a Master of Science Degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Clarkson University and a Doctorate degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Virginia Tech.
Much of his work aims to directly benefit and improve the aquaculture industry through basic and applied research programs that address practical technical issues and limitations from cradle (hatchery and production) to grave (marketing and waste handling). Dr. Kuhn has access to Virginia Tech faculty from various disciplines to build out well qualified interdisciplinary teams to design and execute novel projects. Current activities include aquacultural engineering (water quality, system design, lighting), nutrition (evaluation of new protein and lipid sources in aquafeeds), biotechnology (conversion of by-products into aquafeed ingredients, probiotics and antibodies for improving fish and shrimp health), food (processing, packaging, value-adding, marketing), and outreach activities (hosts the International Recirculating Aquaculture Conference [ICRA, Roanoke, Virginia, U.S.] and various workshops).