Growing the seaweed Economy

Kelp Forest Blue Carbon (2023 -present)

• Postdoc researcher with Dr. Jennifer Smith and Dr. Linda Wegley Kelly at Scripps Institution of Oceanography/UCSD in partnership with non-profit SeaTrees

• We are investigating the carbon sequestration potential of giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera via the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) pathway in response to temperature and seasonality

NSF Convergence Accelerator Phase I awardee (2021 - 2023)

• Core team member leading the seaweed microbiome research of the project Micro2Macro, with Dr. Matthew Edwards at San Diego State University: “Developing the Blue Economy from Micro to Macro-scale in Kelp Aquaculture”

• This project aimed at providing better information for the kelp aquaculture industry concerning best practices for farm management and ecosystem restoration, optimal farm designs and site locations, and approaches for increasing desirable attributes associated with seaweed aquaculture.