
MIAZS Acronym Cheatsheet
The "MAC" List
Ever find it hard to navigate the gauntlet of acronyms? The MIAZS Acronym Cheatsheet ("MAC List" if we stick with the theme) can help make aquarium & zoo industry events and discussions more accessible to all - even those of us who've been in it for decades.
A
AA - Ambassador Animal
AAALAC - Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care
AAG - Ambassador Animal Guidelines
AALSO - Aquatic Animal Life Support Operators
AAM - American Alliance of Museums
AARIC - Ambassador Animal Resource and Information Center
AASAG - Ambassador Animal Scientific Advisory Group
AAUS - American Academy of Underwater Sciences
AAZK - American Association of Zoo Keepers
AAZV - American Association of Zoo Veterinarians
ABMA - Animal Behavior Management Alliance
ABMC - Avian Management, Biology and Conservation
AC - Alternating Current
ACE - Animal Care Excellence
ACE for Wildlife - Advancing Conservation through Empathy for Wildlife Network
ACP - Aquarium Conservation Partnership
ACM - Animal Care Manual
ACSC - Aquatic Collections Sustainability Committee
ADPA - Association of Dive Program Administrators
ADR - Ain't doin' right
ADSO - Assistant Dive Safety Officer
AES - American Elasmobranch Society
AFS - American Fisheries Society
AI - Artificial Insemination / Artificial Intelligence / Aquatic Invertebrate / Avian Influenza
AITAG - Aquatic Invertebrate Taxon Advisory Group
AKF - Animal Keepers’ Forum
AMLAZ - Advancing Minority Leadership in Aquariums and Zoos
AMZAP - Association of Minority Zoo and Aquarium Professionals
AOA - Aquarium of the Americas
AOP - Aquarium of the Pacific
APHIS - Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service
APM - Animal Population Management
APMC - Animal Population Management Committee
ARCS - Annual Report on Conservation and Science
ASAG - Avian Scientific Advisory Group
ASCO - Asian Small Clawed Otter
ASIH - American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
ASTC - Association of Science and Technology Centers
ASW - Artificial Saltwater/Seawater
ATA - Animal Training Applications in Zoos and Aquariums
ATACP - Animal Transport for Animal Care Professionals
ATIG - Animal Transport Interest Group
AVIAN - Avian Management, Biology and Conservation
AWA - Animal Welfare Act
AWEBM - Animal Welfare: Evidence-Based Management
AZA - Association of Zoos & Aquariums
AZFA - Aquarium and Zoo Facilities Association
AZH - Association of Zoo Horticulture
AZVT - Association of Zoo Veterinary Technicians
B
BAG - Behavior Advisory Group
BAR - Bright, alert, and responsive
BFR - Bowling For Rhinos
BHBPAW - Behavioral Husbandry Best Practices for your Animal Welfare Program
BIAZA - British & Irish Association of Zoos & Aquariums
BIMPOC - Black, Indigenous, and Multiracial People of Color
BIPOC - Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
BOD - Board of Directors
BSAG - Biobanking Scientific Advisory Group
BTP - Breeding & Transfer Plan
BW - Backwash
C
CAG - Contraception Advisory Group
CAP - Conservation Action Plan / Coral Aquarist Program
CARE - Cultivate caring, Amplify intent, Remove barriers, Expand impact
CASS - Consortium of Aquatic Science Societies
CBPM - Crocodilian Biology and Professional Management
CBSM - Community Based Social Marketing
CD - Career Development / Compact Disc / Construction Documents
CEaL - Conservation Engagement & Learning
CEC - Conservation Education Committee
CED - Conservation Education: Effective Program Design
CED II - Conservation Education II: Leadership for an Evolving Field
CEM - Communications, Education, and Messaging
CEO - Chief Executive Officer
CFO - Chief Financial Officer
CGF - Conservation Grant Fund
CHMAG - Coral Husbandry Management Advisory Group
CHoP - Coral Holding and Propagation
CITES - Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna & Flora
COB - Close of business
COO - Chief Operating Officer
COP - Conference of the Parties
CP - Conservation Psychology
CROCS - Crocodilian Biology and Professional Management
CSE - Creating Successful Exhibits
CTLE - Continuing Teacher Learning Experience
CVI - Certificate of Veterinary Inspection
D
D2 - Distilled and deionized
D&C - Drum & Croaker
DAN - Divers Alert Network
DC - Direct Current
DD - Distilled and Deionized / Design Development
DD1 - Detail Design phase 1
DD2 - Detail Design phase 2
DE - Diatomaceous Earth
DEAI - Diversity, Equity, Access, Inclusion
DEAIJ - Diversity, Equity, Access, Inclusion, Justice
DEI - Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
DEIA - Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access
DEIB - Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
DEIJ - Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice
DFA - Dynamic Factor Analysis
DI - Deionized
DOE - Department of Education
DNR - Department of Natural Resources
DO - Dissolved Oxygen
DPC - Directors Policy Conference
DSO - Dive Safety Officer
E
EaT - Education And Training program
EAZA - European Association of Zoos & Aquaria
ECA - Ex situ Conservation Assessment
EdARCS - Education Programs Annual Report
EEP - EAZA Ex situ Programme
EEZA - Environmental Enrichment in Zoos and Aquariums
EGZAC - European Group for Zoo Animal Contraception
EJ - Environmental Justice
ELDP - Executive Leadership Development Program
EQ - Emotional intelligence; Environmental Quality
ERI - Equipment Resource Initiative
ESA - Endangered Species Act
EUAC - European Union of Aquarium Curators
F
FB - Fluidized Bed
FCC - Field Conservation Committee
FCV - Flow Control Valve
FFTAG - Freshwater Fish Taxon Advisory Group
FFW - Filtered Freshwater
FRTRP - Florida Reef Tract Rescue Project
FW - Freshwater
FWC - Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
FWS - Fish and Wildlife Service
G
GAC - Granular Activated Carbon / Government Affairs Committee
GFO - Granular Ferric Oxide
GHG - Greenhouse gas
GPO - Giant Pacific Octopus
GRAZE - Growing Resilience for Aquarium and Zoo Employees
GSAG - Green Scientific Advisory Group
GSAR - General Services Administration Acquisition Regulation
GSRI - Global Sharks & Rays Initiative
H
HBCU - Historically Black Colleges & Universities
HL - Herpetologist League
HPLC - High Performance Liquid Chromatography
I
IAAAM - International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine
IAAPA - International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions
IAATE - International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators
IAC - International Aquarium Congress
IACUC - Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
IATA - International Air Transportation Association
ICCAT - International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas
ICP - Institutional Collection Plan
IDEA - Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access
IDMAG - Institutional Data Management Scientific Advisory Group
IDP - Individual Development Plan
IEF - International Elephant Foundation
IL - Institutional Liaison
IM - Intramuscular
IMATA - International Marine Animal Trainers Association
IP - Intraperitoneal
IR - Institutional Representative
IRA - Inflation Reduction Act
IRK - Institutional Records Keeping
ISB - Institutional Studbook
ISIS - International Species Inventory System
ISK - Institutional Studbook Keeper
ISRA - Important Shark and Ray Area
IUCN - International Union for Conservation of Nature
IV - Intravenous
IZE - International Zoo Educators Association
J
JASM - Joint Aquatic Sciences Meeting
JAZA Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums
JEDI - Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion
JMIH - Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
K
KISS - Keep It Super Simple
KPI - Key Performance Indicator
KUO - Keep Under Observation
L
LED - Light Emitting Diode
LCD - Liquid Crystal Display
LCV - Level Control Valve
LLT - Leadership Learning Team
LMS - Learning Management System
LRP - Lifetime Reproductive Planning
LSD - Leafy Sea Dragon
LRS - Least reinforcing scenario
LSO - Life Support Operator
LSS - Life Support System
LVSSP - Lake Victoria Species Survival Plan
M
M4S - Managing for Success
MAC List - MIAZS Acronym Cheatsheet
MACNA - Marine Aquarium Conference of North America
MAETP - Managing Animal Enrichment and Training Programs
MAP - Maintenance Animal Progapagation
MASNA - Marine Aquarium Societies of North America
MBTA - Migratory Bird Treaty Act
MFTAG - Marine Fishes Taxon Advisory Group
MFU - Male Female Unsexed
MHC - Madagascar Hissing Cockroach
MIA - Minorities in Aquaculture / Missing in Action
MIAZS - Minorities in Aquarium and Zoo Science
MISS - Minorities in Shark Sciences
MMA - Methyl methacrylate <1.6%
MMPA - Marine Mammal Protection Act
MOU - Memorandum of Understanding
MoZAICS - Modeling Zoos and Aquariums as Inclusive Communities of Science (for Autistic Individuals)
MPA - Marine Protected Area
MSCD - Managing for Success: Career Development
MSI - Minority Serving Institution
MSOD - Managing for Success: Organizational Development
MYM - Mid-Year Meeting
N
NAAEE - North America Association of Environmental Education
NAC - National Aquarium Conference
NAG - Nutrition Scientific Advisory Group
NAI - National Association for Interpretation
NARO - North American River Otter
NAUI - National Association of Underwater Instructors
NGO - Non-governmental organization
NIMM - National Inventory of Marine Mammals
NLL - Next Level Leader
NMFS - National Marine Fisheries Service
NOAA - National Oceanographic & Atmospheric Administration
NRC - National Research Council
NSF - National Science Foundation
NSW - Natural Seawater
NZKW - National Zoo Keeper Week
O
OD - Organizational Development
ORP - Oxidation Reduction Potential
P
PAAM - Principles of Ambassador Animal Management
PACT - People Advancing Conservation Together
PADI - Professional Association of Diving Instructors
PCV - Packed Cell Volume
PDC - Professional Development Committee
PDZA - Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium
PEM I - Principles of Elephant Management I
PEM II - Principles of Elephant Management II
PFE - Personally Facilitated Experience
PHVA - Population Habitat Viability Analysis
PM1&2 - Population Management Courses 1 & 2
PM I - Population Management I: Data Acquisition and Processing
PM II - Population Management II: Data Analysis and Breeding Recommendations
PMC - Population Management Center
PMP - Population Management Plan
POC - People Of Color
POSea - Conference highlighting People of Color in marine/aquatic sciences
PPE - Personal Protection Equipment
PRT - Positive reinforcement training
PSAT - Pop-up satellite tag; pre-SAT
PSI - Pound-force per square inch
PSK - Protein Skimmer
PTX - Palytoxin
PVC - Polyvinyl Chloride (pipe)
PWI - Primarily White Institution
Q
QA/QC - Quality Assurance/Quality Control
QS - Quartz sleeve
R
R&D - Research & Development
RAW - Regional Aquatics Workshop
RBC - Red Blood Cell
RCP - Regional Collection Plan; Regional Community of Practice
RFMO - Regional Fisheries Management Organization
RFP - Request for proposal
RMC - Reproductive Management Center
RMG - Reproductive Management Group
RO - Reverse Osmosis
ROFW - Reverse Osmosis Freshwater
ROSW - Reverse Osmosis Saltwater/Seawater
RSF - Rapid Sand filter
RTC - Research and Technology Committee
S
SAFE - Saving Animals from Extinction
SAG - Scientific Advisory Group
SB - Studbook
SC - Schematic Design / SSP Coordinator / Species Coordinator
SCA - Small Cat Alliance
SCTLD - Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease
SCS - Sawfish Conservation Society
SEA - Southeast Asia / Strategic Environmental Assessment / State Education Agency
SECORE - Sexual Coral Reproduction
SEDAR - Southeast Data, Analysis, and Review
SEZARC - South-East Zoo Alliance for Reproduction and Conservation
SF - Sand filter
SMART - Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic, Time-bound / Spatial Monitoring And Reporting Tool
SMARTIE - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Timely, Inclusive, and Equitable
SPMAG - Small Population Management Advisory Group
SRF - Shark Research Fishery
SSC - Species Survival Commission
SSG - Shark Specialist Group
SSI - Scuba Schools International
SSP - Species Survival Plan
SSRA - Social Science Research Agenda
SSRE - Social Science Research and Evaluation
StAR - Stegostoma tigrinum Augmentation & Recovery
STEAM - Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics
STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
STS - Sand tiger shark
SW - Saltwater/Seawater
SWOT - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats
T
TAG - Taxon Advisory Group
TBD - To Be Determined
TFYM - Trees For You and Me
TRO - Total Residual Oxidant
TUBV - True Union Ball Valve
U
UFN - Until further notice
UPS - Uninterruptible Power Supply / United Parcel Service
USDA - United States Department of Agriculture
USDOI - United States Department of the Interior
USFWS - United States Fish and Wildlife Service
USGS - United States Geological Survey
UV - Ultra Violet
V
VE - Visitor engagement / Value engineered
VFD - Variable Frequency Drive
VMC - Volunteer Management Committee
W
WAZA - World Association of Zoos & Aquariums
WBC - White Blood Cell
WBCA - Wild Bird Conservation Act
WCC - Wildlife Conservation Committee / Wildlife Contraception Center
WCMC - Wildlife Conservation and Management Committee
WFH - Working from home
WSD - Weedy Sea Dragon
WQ - Water Quality
X
Y
YPRF - Young Professionals Recruitment Fund
Z
ZAA - Zoo & Aquarium Association (Aust/NZ) / Zoological Association of America
ZAHP - Zoo & Aquarium All-Hazards Partnership
ZDR3 - Zoological Disaster Response, Rescue, and Recovery
ZIMS - Zoological Information Management Systems
ZRA - Zoo Registrar's Association
