Lauren Smith

Climate Action Project

Seaweed aquaculture has some of the lowest impact and highest carbon mitigation potential of any food source. With the first offshore kelp farm permitted in California, and federal legislation actions putting seaweed center stage (including the 2023 Coastal Seaweed Farm Act), seaweed is poised to play a critical role in climate adaptation. Kelp and other seaweeds are susceptible to marine heatwaves, which are occurring with increased frequency. As a Climate Innovation Fellow, Dr. Smith will be testing a novel technique to thermally shock juvenile kelp to increase resistance to marine heatwaves and create a more stable crop to take advantage of both the food and carbon mitigation properties of this important species.