Thomas Losordo

Unpaid Emeritus

Retired April, 2012
  • 919-264-3812
  • Patterson Hall NA

Dr. Thomas M. Losordo retired from the faculty April, 2012. He is currently an emeritus professor of the department. Tom has worked at NCSU for a little over 24 years, with the last 10 years working in the BAE department. In this department. he held the position of extension leader for 4 years and additionally, worked for the University of North Carolina General Administration as a faculty advisor for military affairs for two years.

Dr. Losordo has earned a Bachelor degree in Biology from Bates College, Lewiston Maine a M.S. Agricultural Engineering from the University of Hawaii and his Ph.D. Agricultural Engineering from the University of California, Davis.

Losordo is internationally recognized for his work in aquaculture having made significant contributions in the area of indoor recirculating aquaculture technology. He has been the main force behind NC States well known Lake Wheeler Road Fish Barn, a research and demonstration facility for recirculating aquaculture systems. The program at the barn develops, evaluates and demonstrates new technology for intensive fish farming at the commercial scale.  Losordo also served as Principal Investigator of the Marine Aquaculture Reseach Center near Morehead City, and was also the Co-PI for the College of Ag. and Life Sciences at the LaPaz Sturgeon facility in Happy Valley, North Carolina. His research developments in this area have brought substantial improvements to operational methods and equipment design which are now used widely in the industry.

Dr. Losordo and his team have provided essential technical assistance to established indoor tank-based aquaculture farm businesses and assisted with many new startups helping to support the development of new businesses in North Carolina. His strong relationships with the aquaculture industry has been instrumental in bringing over $5 M in monetary and aquaculture facility bequeaths to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Education

Ph.D. 1974

Agricultural Engineering

University of California, Davis

M.S. 1980

Agricultural Engineering

University of Hawaii

B.S. 1974

Biology

Bates College

Publications

Evaluation of chemical polymers as coagulation aids to remove suspended solids from marine finfish recirculating aquaculture system discharge using a geotextile bag
Gibson, T. F., Watanabe, W. O., Losordo, T. M., Whitehead, R. F., & Carroll, P. M. (2020), AQUACULTURAL ENGINEERING, 90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaeng.2020.102065
An evaluation of solid waste capture from recirculating aquaculture systems using a geotextile bag system with a flocculant-aid
Guerdat, T. C., Losordo, T. M., DeLong, D. P., & Jones, R. D. (2013), AQUACULTURAL ENGINEERING, 54, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaeng.2012.10.001
Evaluating the effects of organic carbon on biological filtration performance in a large scale recirculating aquaculture system
Guerdat, T. C., Losordo, T. M., Classen, J. J., Osborne, J. A., & DeLong, D. (2011), AQUACULTURAL ENGINEERING, 44(1), 10–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaeng.2010.10.002
An evaluation of commercially available biological filters for recirculating aquaculture systems
Guerdat, T. C., Losordo, T. M., Classen, J. J., Osborne, J. A., & DeLong, D. P. (2010), AQUACULTURAL ENGINEERING, 42(1), 38–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaeng.2009.10.002
Thermal modeling of greenhouse aquaculture raceway systems
Li, S., Willits, D. H., Browdy, C. L., Timmons, M. B., & Losordo, T. M. (2009), AQUACULTURAL ENGINEERING, 41(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaeng.2009.04.002
Comparing denitrification rates and carbon sources in commercial scale upflow denitrification biological filters in aquaculture
Hamlin, H. J., MichaelS, J. T., Beaulaton, C. M., Graham, W. F., Dutt, W., Steinbach, P., … Main, K. L. (2008), Aquacultural Engineering, 38(2), 79–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaeng.2007.11.003
Wood chips and wheat straw as alternative biofilter media for denitrification reactors treating aquaculture and other wastewaters with high nitrate concentrations
Saliling, W. J. B., Westerman, P. W., & Losordo, T. M. (2007), AQUACULTURAL ENGINEERING, 37(3), 222–233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaeng.2007.06.003
A comparison of alternative designs and technologies in recirculating aquaculture
DeLong, D. P., & Losordo, T. M. (2006), Aquaculture Canada 2004 : ?b Proceedings of Contributed Papers, Canadian Freshwater Aquaculture Symposium, Que?Bec City, Que?Bec, October 17-24, 2004.
Pilot production of hatchery-reared summer flounder Paralichthys dentatus in a marine recirculating aquaculture system: The effects of ration level on growth, feed conversion, and survival
Carroll, P. M., Watanabe, W. O., & Losordo, T. M. (2005), Journal of the World Aquaculture Society, 36(1), 120–128. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-7345.2005.tb00138.x
Growth and feed utilization of captive wild black sea bass Centropristis striata at four different densities in a recirculating tank system
Copeland, K. A., Watanabe, W. O., Carroll, P. M., Wheatley, K. S., & Losordo, T. M. (2003), JOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY, 34(3), 300–307. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-7345.2003.tb00068.x

View all publications via NC State Libraries

Grants

An Evaluation of a No Fish Meal Diet for the Nursery Culture of Tilapia
Astor Farms, Inc.(9/15/10 - 3/31/11)
New Publication - How to Start a Biofilter
US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA)(5/01/10 - 4/30/11)
Publication Re-write - The Economics of Recirculating Tank Systems: A Spreadsheet for Individual Analysis
US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA)(5/01/10 - 4/30/11)
Development of a Holding System for the Sale of Live black Sea Bass.
NCSU Sea Grant Program(6/01/10 - 3/31/12)
Innovative Biotechnologies for Environmentally Sustainable and Economically Competitive Aquaculture across North Carolina
US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA)(6/15/10 - 6/14/13)
Genomics and Biotechnology to Promote Environmentally Sustainable and Globally Competitive Aquaculture in North Carolina
US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA)(7/15/09 - 7/14/12)
Evaluation of Replacement of Fish Meal With Soybean Meal in Hybrid Striped Bass Diets
NC Soybean Producers Association, Inc.(4/01/09 - 6/30/11)
Investigating the Increased Use of Soybean Meal in the Diets of Aquacultured Fish in North Carolina
NC Soybean Producers Association, Inc.(4/01/08 - 3/31/10)
Improved Technology for Enhancing Production Efficiency and Environmental Sustainability of Warmwater Fish Culture
US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA)(7/15/08 - 7/14/11)
Tank Culture of Tilapia, SRAC Factsheet #282 (re-write)
US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA)(5/01/08 - 10/31/09)