Dr Jessica Adams is a Principal Investigator in Bioconversion and Biorefining at IBERS, Aberystwyth University, with a specialist interest in macroalgae (seaweed). She has expertise in carbohydrate and higher value compound extractions, novel enzyme discovery and larger (pilot)-scale processing. She is currently working with two Post-Docs, 6x PhD, and 3x undergraduate students on aspects of macroalgal usage, including in bioplastics, gut health and soil amendments. She sits on boards for Algae-UK (BBSRC) and Seafood Innovation Fund (Defra); is the President elect of the learned society the British Phycological Society, is a member of the BBSRC pool of experts; and is Associate Editor for the journals Applied Phycology and the European Journal of Phycology.
In her talk, Jessica will explain the historical role of seaweed as the resource used in the first large-scale chemical production industry in the UK, and the implications when that collapsed. She will also present current uses of seaweed in our day-to-day lives, some of which you would not necessarily expect. She will also explain the impact of extensive seaweed cultivation around the world, focussing on the women seaweed farmers and their families.
TEDxAberystwyth 