Laidlaw Summer 2023 Research Proposal

This summer I will collaborate with Dr. Jenny Goldstein on her project called “Assessing Seaweed's Potential as a Global Climate Technology,” based in the Philippines. This work can serve as inspiration for creative approaches to climate mitigation and adaptation around the globe.
Laidlaw Summer 2023 Research Proposal
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Southeast Asia is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to climate change, facing rising sea levels, heat waves, floods, droughts, and increasingly severe, frequent, and unpredictable weather events. Effective mitigation and adaptation strategies must be developed to prevent the catastrophic ramifications of climate change. Some have begun to look to algae as a potential biofuel and vehicle for carbon sequestration. Biomass is the world’s third-largest energy resource after coal and oil, but it does not contribute to hazardous emissions. Early studies have demonstrated the positive economic and environmental impacts of algae-based biofuels. These biofuels are relatively cost-effective compared to other plants due to high photosynthetic efficiency, fast-growth rates, and tolerance to a wide range of light intensities and environments, even sewage and saline water. Researchers regularly discover new species of microalgae and evaluate their growth and biofuel potential. Algae-based fuels are non-toxic, carbon neutral, and have the potential to reduce global carbon dioxide emissions, making them able to help meet rising demands for biofuels. 

Microalgae can sequester carbon dioxide from the environment at more than ten times the efficiency of traditional plants. However, this research is still in the early stages and carries potentially high projected costs. There is still a long way to go to determine the viability of algal fuel and carbon sequestration technologies and the potential environmental and cultural ramifications. 

Cornell Assistant Professor Dr. Jenny Goldstein of the Department of Global Development is embarking on a new project to investigate the sociopolitical and technological potential and obstacles of using algae for biofuel and carbon emissions sequestration in the Philippines. As her prospective research assistant, I will support Dr. Goldstein’s fieldwork by conducting a guided scholarly literature review on relevant actors and technologies. Dr. Goldstein and I will meet regularly on Zoom to communicate our progress and coordinate our work. I also will produce a research paper exploring the sociocultural ramifications of algal mitigation and adaptation strategies. I plan to pose the question: how could algae technologies impact traditional human-environmental relationships in the Philippines? Specifically, I’m interested in whether these impacts are influenced by the presence and quality of community engagements and partnerships, and who benefits most from these technologies. 

This work is especially relevant to my double major in Environment & Sustainability and Anthropology and my plans to pursue graduate work and a career focused on climate solutions. This research also has the potential to shed light on the opportunities and challenges associated with the use of algae for climate mitigation and adaptation. Evaluating new climate mitigation proposals is crucial to determine whether they are well-suited for various global contexts and whether they will positively affect those most vulnerable.

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