FULLY BOOKED - Exe-X South West Alumnae Women in Research & networking event
‘Seaweed: from Bioplastics to Biodiversity’ a talk with Exeter PhD researcher Sophie Corrigan MSci
Used in items ranging ice cream to animal feed, veggie ‘bacon’ to biofuels and bioplastics, seaweed farming is expanding rapidly at 8% per year across the globe. But the farming of kelp and other species is now increasingly being recognised for its potential environmental benefits and contributions to ecosystem services, such as improving water quality and increasing coastal resilience.
| An Alumni and supporters event | |
|---|---|
| Date | 5 September 2023 |
| Time | 18:00 to 20:00 |
| Place | Reed Hall |
| Provider | Alumni and supporters |
Event details
Following an MSci Marine Biology degree, Sophie is now a final year PhD researcher investigating the environmental impacts of seaweed farming in the UK. Sophie's project aims to assess the ecological impacts of seaweed farming on coastal biodiversity, and determine whether farms may provide habitat to other species, some of which may be of commercial and conservation importance. Sophie is also working with farmers in the Southwest to develop sustainable, ecosystem approaches to seaweed farming with the hope of informing policy development and best practice in this emerging UK aquaculture sector.
In this talk, Sophie will discuss some of the recent findings from her PhD, which include developing methods to measure biodiversity at seaweed farms and monitoring farms in the Southwest to determine their habitat value for invertebrate and fish species in comparison to wild kelp populations and mussel farming.
Our Women in Research talk series highlights the work of female PhD students at Exeter, bringing their discoveries direct to our alumnae (female graduate) group. The talk will begin with informal networking and end with a Q and A session.
Booking note: This is a free to attend event and includes refreshments, and parking is available for free on campus after 6pm.
Location:
Reed Hall
