Professor Brown conducts research in aquaculture, aquaculture nutrition and aquaponics. He teaches Aquaculture, Fish Physiology, Aquaponics and a component of the Fisheries Field Practicum. He has defined diets for new and emerging aquaculture species for the US aquaculture industries and has documented the ability to raise multiple species in north central Indiana. He is expanding his research to international applications, currently in Guatemala and Zambia. His approach is development of sustainable aquaculture diets using existing agricultural products and production systems demanding less water than traditional approaches. Additional considerations are integrated systems in remote areas that link food production systems to documented human nutritional needs and water conservation/sanitation.
Aquaponics research is focused on quantifying nutrient flows through subsystems, and marine aquaponic opportunities. He regularly consults on an international scale and has been a regular visitor to the Chines Academy of Fisheries Sciences labs.