Taxonomic Certification Program
The Society of Freshwater Science Taxonomic Certification Program was implemented to certify that trained and skilled persons are providing aquatic invertebrate and diatom identifications in North America. The Stroud Water Research Center currently administers the Taxonomic Certification Program for SFS.
The successful completion of the taxonomic certification process results in a certificate of proficiency in performing taxonomic identifications of freshwater benthic macroinvertebrates and diatoms that stands for 5 years.
The program also helps promote undergraduate and graduate training of new taxonomic experts, training of taxonomic technicians through workshops, development of new manuals for identifying aquatic invertebrates and algae, and taxonomic excellence in other disciplines and other parts of the world.
The certification program tests a candidate’s knowledge and skills in specialized areas of taxonomy and provides the successful applicant with a certificate of proficiency. This process includes passing an examination with a score of 95% for certification for a particular region and taxonomic group, and payment of a certification fee. Visit the Stroud Water Research Center to learn more about becoming a certified taxonomic specialist.