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Art and science intersect more often than you might think. Art is a way to express the prowess and beauty of science in a creative way that is accessible for everyone to enjoy. Recently, Algae Research and Supply had the honor of interviewing Dr. Jennifer Willet, director of the INCUBATOR Art Lab at the University of Windsor in Canada. The INCUBATOR Lab is a fully functioning lab that researches the intersection of art and science. Despite the COVID closures, the lab has been able to get research access to continue work.

Dr. Jennifer Willet by Dylan Kristy, 2018

Dr. Jennifer Willet is an Associate Professor in the School of Creative Art at the university, and the Canada Research Chair in arts, science, and ecology. She is a traditionally trained artist, having earned a BFA from the University of Calgary, an MFA from the University of Guelph, and a PhD from Concordia University at Montreal in interdisciplinary Humanities (essentially building her own program from the foundations in humanities). Dr. Willet is a very talented illustrator and painter, and has a background in printmaking, specifically intaglio (copper-etched plate printmaking). She has always been interested in science and medicine and its interaction with the human body and human subjectivity. Furthermore, her background in printmaking crossed over into the world of lab work, as both have high standards for sterility and dexterity.

During her education, Dr. Willet created art in many different mediums with the common themes of science and biotechnology. During her undergraduate studies, she drew cadavers while studying anatomy, and later went on to work in a Human Anatomy Lab. This introduction to lab work proved to her that she could fit into a place that she initially did not feel she belonged. Dr. Willet’s travels also brought her to Symbiotica - the world’s leading Bioart research lab - at the University of Western Australia. There, she researched the techniques they used to fuse science and art. Eventually, while working for the Art and Genomics Centre at the University of Leiden, Dr. Willet dreamed up what would become the INCUBATOR art lab. 

The INCUBATOR Art Lab by Justin Elliott, 2019

As a fully functioning lab, the INCUBATOR Art Lab adheres to laboratory health and safety guidelines. As Director, Dr. Willet must attend health and safety meetings and complete paperwork in addition to doing all the fun science stuff. Prior to having her own lab, Dr. Willet traveled and worked hands-on in other labs. While she loved working with scientists and laboratories around the world, it became difficult to work around the main goals of the labs she was using. She loves having her own lab, which allows her to put her best effort and all her focus into her own projects. Dr. Willet works with students and academics from all realms of academia, including biologists, philosophers, and artists. The intersection of these disciplines aids in the creation of projects that educate the public.

Shifting gears to algae, here’s what Dr. Willet has to say:

“I love algae! Algae is the number one producer of all oxygen on our planet, it might actually save the day. We all need to spend more time talking about algae.” 

The INCUBATOR lab has two algae art pieces: Algae Spiral and The Great Lakes Algae Organ. The goal of these algae projects is to give people a different perspective on algae. In the Great Lakes Basin - where INCUBATOR is located - the main perception of algae is of the harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie. Dr. Willet wants to change the perspective on this wonderful microorganism.

Jennifer Willet, The Great Lakes Algae Organ, 2016 Photo: Caitlin Sutherland

The Great Lakes Algae Organ is a street organ designed for algae. It is a mobile algae lab that provides agitation, nutrients, and light to its microorganism passengers, all the while playing “Yankee Doodle Dandy”. Dr. Willet has presented this art piece both in galleries and out in the communities. Audience members are at first intrigued by the art, and then sucked into discussions about algae as a biofuel, oxygen producer, and as an invasive species. 

The Algae Spiral is meant to bring people a more meditative experience with algae. Spirulina, a popular algae and superfood, is pumped through tubes in a pattern on the wall. Watching algae move through the tubes harmoniously is very meditative, and is meant to bring people closer to algae.

Jennifer Willet, Algae Spiral II, 2020 Photo: Scott Lee

Fun fact: the algae in these art pieces is from Algae Research and Supply! 

“The way I feel about my job is the way you feel about your dog,” Dr. Willet jokes. She absolutely loves what she does, and often has moments of “I can’t believe this is happening… this is really my job!” Dr. Willet’s overall goal is to educate others about a “biotech future”. Data and formulas can only do so much in terms of solving the world’s problems such as climate change or the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Willet seeks to redefine what a biotech future could be. She draws from research methods outside the scientific method that can help solve problems hundreds of years from now. The intersection of art and science allows us to break away from the rigid data-driven aspect of science in favor of a collaborative, communicative method of solving the world's problems. Dr. Willet envisions a biotech future for everyone that engages people socially and culturally while working towards an egalitarian and sustainable future.

Algae Research and Supply thanks Dr. Willet for her time and for her contribution to biotechnology education. To see more of Dr. Willet’s projects, click here: https://incubatorartlab.com/ 

-Erin F. Fox, 2021

Last week, Algae Research Supply had the honor of interviewing Jaimi Butler, Coordinator of the Great Salt Lake Institute in Utah. 

The Great Salt Lake Institute has been around for over 12 years, and is funded through a Westminster College grant. Their mission is to use research and education to connect the greater community to the Great Salt Lake.

As Coordinator, Jaimi works with college students and faculty to connect them to the research going on at Great Salt Lake.

Jaimi got a Fisheries and Wildlife degree from Utah State University, and her life goal was to work outside and in nature. “Birds and bugs,” jokes Jaimi, “I wanted to be in the mud and the salt.” She loved classes involving Math and Chemistry, but her favorite part of college was meeting incredibly interesting people and finding new connections from Utah State- which she continues to make to this day.

Before working at the Great Salt Lake Institute, Jaimi worked in the brine shrimp harvesting industry, harvesting shrimp from the lake for use in commercial aquaculture. There, she helped the harvesters understand population and ecosystem dynamics so the overall ecosystem was not interrupted by their activities. After that, Jaimi was a field biologist for the State of Utah, and aided with the management of brine shrimp harvesting from that end.

Though she loved her jobs, she felt restricted in the impact she could make. She couldn’t share her passion for the ecology of the environment and the lake to the extent she wanted to as a field biologist. 

At the Great Salt Lake Institute, she enjoys being part of a “hub of information and experience” to help students and those passionate about the ecosystem learn more about the Great Salt Lake. She feels incredibly lucky to have the ability to do fieldwork and interact with nature as often as she does, “It’s the coolest place to work. Ever.”

According to Jaimi, “There are 8 million things that [she] could be doing in a day.” As Coordinator, she writes grants for undergraduate research, manages grants, and spends funds received from grants. She also works with students and aids them with their projects and connects with the community through community science projects. Pre-COVID, she would help with community events such as the Spider Festival (an event on Antelope Island to celebrate the Western Spotted Orb Weaver). 

Jaimi’s favorite part of her job is working with the "super cool people" she sees at the Institute -- students, faculty, research, farmers -- or anyone else working with the Great Salt Lake. “It’s really satisfying to feel like you're making a difference in this little place in the world.”

Another thing that Jaimi loves is that she can work with artists that are creating land art and art of the Great Salt Lake. She loves seeing how people can connect to the lake in different and creative ways. Jaimi herself has let her creativity shine by designing things for the Great Salt Lake’s etsy shop.

Above (left to right), are Bonnie Baxter (director of GSLI), Dr. David Parrot (assistant director of GSLI), and Jaimi Butler (coordinator of GSLI), with singing brine shrimp puppets. 

In terms of our future young scientists, Jaimi has this advice: ”follow your passion… your passion may not always be playing with the salt and the bugs and the mud, but maybe you’re really great at illustrating… or your superpower is driving big equipment.” As she knows from experience, not everyone has a straight path, but if you follow your passions it will lead you to somewhere you’ll love.

To learn more about the Great Salt Lake Institute, check out their website here: https://westminstercollege.edu/student-life/great-salt-lake-institute/about-the-great-salt-lake-institute 

 To explore brine shrimp, and be just like Jaimi, try the Brainy Briny Kits! 

-Erin F. Fox, 2020

Algae Research Supply came across a very creative way to use algae - Chlorella Vulgaris, in particular.  Apparently, you can use the algae to make photographs! The process was first investigated by French artist Lia Giraud about 10 years ago, who called the process “algaegraphy". Here in the states, University of Washington PhD student Russell Marx has also been experimenting with using algae for photography. Russell’s approach is getting a lot of attention as of late, with recent articles in Petapixel  and DIY Photography.

According to the Petapixel article, Russell was looking for a way to combine art and science. In their photography ventures, Russell used Chlorella Vulgaris because it is a heavier strain of algae- it sunk to the bottom of the petri dish and wouldn’t float/ move after it was mixed with water. Then, a film negative would be projected onto the algae. Because algae is a photosynthesizer, the algae exposed to brighter light grew more, thus growing the image in the petri dish.

Above is the photo negative projected onto the algae.

“I’ve always liked biology, and inspired by microbial art, I looked for a way to merge photography and science,” Marx told Petapixel. 

We caught up with Russell to find out more about this super creative way to use our favorite stuff - algae!  Here’s some highlights from our interview:

We first asked Russell how they feel about all the attention they are getting for this cool new technique. 

“It's a welcome surprise,” Marx said. “I wasn’t expecting to get any attention… it's just a thing I did because I wanted to.“

We then asked Russell about how they got interested in the project in the first place. According to Marx, their grandparents gifted them a photographic enlarger. Then, since Marx did not have a photo enlarger, they started to brainstorm ideas for how to use it. Marx’s first thought was using chlorophyll pigment, but switched to aglae later on. 

Marx first attempted this project with Spirulina, but found that the growth of the helical structure of this algae was impeded when they tried to encase it in resin to keep it from moving. Marx switched to chlorella vulgaris, for it is a more dense strain of algae and would sit at the bottom of the dish. 

Chlorella vulgaris

Since we are all stuck inside currently, we asked Russell some of the things they’ve been doing while in quarantine. As a busy grad student, Marx has mainly been working on schoolwork. But, in their spare time, Russell has been working on side projects in linguistics, and of course doing some algae photo printing.

Lastly, we asked Russell what they would suggest people at home do to explore how science and art can come together. 

“There’s a lot of science do to at home that people aren’t aware of,” Marx said. They recommended trying their algae printing process, it is very accessible and only needs a projector, a petri dish, and some algae. Furthermore, people of all ages can explore botany in their own neighborhood or backyard. Russell also mentioned that vegetables can be ground up into a paste-like ink that can be used for art projects. Anything is possible when you let your mind be creative!

We want to thank Russell for taking the time to talk with us.  Read more about Russell here, or check out their new social media page!  And stay tuned – Russell has agreed to make Algae Research Supply’s logo in algae and we’ll be posting it soon. 

Bored at home? Make your time at home more colorful with our test tube kits!

Click here to buy now!

Our test tube kits are the perfect way to spend a day at home. Our starter test tube kit includes a rack of test tubes, beakers, pipettes, colors for mixing, and seeds for germinating. This kit is all research quality material, specifically put together for you and your children to enjoy the wonder of scientific discovery from the comfort of your own home. 

In these test tubes, you and your young scientists can mix pigments to discover the wonders of color making. This is a perfect hands-on approach to learning about primary and secondary colors, or just to have fun in color mixing. Furthermore, adding salt to various colors can allow one test tube to hold multiple layers of color! This- in addition to looking super cool- can introduce your young scientist to the concept of density. The reaction of the pigments together to create vibrant colors is an easy way to introduce your child to the world of chemical reactions and laboratory work- start them young on the chemistry path!

Another way to use these tubes is to cultivate your own plants! Our kits come with seeds to germinate plants from the comfort of your own home. Your children can plant seeds, and watch them grow into small plants over time! This will teach your children the wonders of plant growth (and patience) as they watch their seeds bloom. This experiment also starts your children on the STEM path early, soon you’ll have young botanists on your hands!

Instructions are provided, materials are reusable, and these kits provide tons of educational fun. We here at Algae Research Supply want to provide affordable, high quality tools for children to learn about the sciences. Start today with our test tube kit.

Still not convinced? Look at these videos of our Chief Scientist’s children playing with these kits. 

We interviewed  Christopher Scianni, an environmental scientist supervisor who works in understanding how invasive species travel around the world through maritime ships. He researches how current shipping technology and practices spread non native species around the globe- and how to create policy to reduce this infectious spread.

By title, I’m a senior environmental scientist supervisor. I work primarily on biological invasion ecology, trying to better understand how commercial maritime ships inadvertently move entire biological communities around the globe. My team collaborates on research to understand how different shipping practices influence the risk of introducing non-native species and we develop and implement regulatory policies aimed at reducing that risk. 

Being outside has always interested me, and I was hooked on the ocean from an early age. Whether tide pooling with my family or visiting the beaches or local aquarium, I’ve always felt a draw toward the ocean. Going after degrees in marine biology and marine science gave me an opportunity to mesh my interest in the ocean with a desire to learn more about how ocean processes work. Moving into an invasion ecology-focused career added an extra layer of probing how our actions impact biological interactions and how ecosystems function.

It varies. Fieldwork often comes in bunches, separated by long spells of data analysis and policy creation/review/revision. Most of my fieldwork is spent studying the biological communities that accumulate on the underwater surfaces of ocean-going ships (i.e., biofouling or hull fouling communities). About a decade ago, I spent a good deal of time diving under ships in ports around the world to identify patterns associated with different ship types and different areas on individual ships. Our goal is to understand what shipping practices lead to the different biological patterns we find, and we work with the shipping industry to find solutions. In recent years, I’ve replaced most of my SCUBA diving surveys with remotely operated vehicle (ROV) surveys. Now, most of my fieldwork is spent flying the ROV on hull transects. 

As stated above, my experiences as a child drove in me an interest and curiosity about the ocean. I always try to view my work in the context of how a similar little kid today might view their interactions with the ocean, and the same for their kids. On one level, we live in a global economy that necessitates ocean transport; that’s not going away. I view my work as necessary to ensure that our society’s interaction in the global economy is conducted in a way that ensures that those next generations of kids can be amazed by, and called to, the ocean and a functioning coastal environment.

I went to the California State University, Long Beach as an undergrad. I double-majored in Marine Biology and Biology with an emphasis in Zoology, I also had a Chemistry minor. For graduate school, I received a Master of Science in Marine Science from the California State University, Stanislaus. All of my graduate work was conducted at the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories where I focused on Biological Oceanography.

I’d have to say it was a tie. My favorite undergraduate major class was the biology of marine zooplankton, that class convinced me that I should continue my education into graduate school. My favorite general education class was interpersonal communication, I still think that’s the most consequential class students can take to improve their chances of successfully navigating the working world. 

I worked at a local aquarium while in my undergrad years, and my supervisor there was the other reason why I decided to continue to graduate school. We had regular conversations about school and science, and his enthusiasm for his work was contagious. He challenged me, gave me a lot of responsibilities, and was always there to offer constructive feedback. I now supervise and mentor a college or graduate intern every summer, and I strive to model my mentorship after his.

This is probably obvious, but when I was in school, there was more of a firewall between coding languages and marine science. I learned all about biostatistics, but hardly anything related to computer languages and coding. That was probably the norm, aside from physical oceanography students. Nowadays, it seems like coding is integrated into everything. I often must collaborate with other scientists who have coding specialties and I’m always amazed by them.

In relation to my work, I think it’s critical that we know where the products that we buy and use come from, and how they get from their origin to us. I think it’s important to make informed decisions about what we use, and part of that is knowing the monetary and non-monetary costs included in the production and transport of those goods. 

Go volunteer or find internships to gain experience doing different things. The experience is valuable, but the importance of the network of colleagues and mentors you create is beyond measure.

Pictured above from left to right: 

Matt Huber, Judah Goldberg, Sarah Smith, Lawrence Younan, Paul Chua, and Chris Scianni

Vollebak, a London- based startup, has started to create t shirts out of wood pulp and dyeing them with algae pigment. The shirts are compostable, so at the end of their life owners can bury the shirts in their backyard and they will biodegrade. The wood pulp is from sustainably sourced beech, spruce and eucalyptus trees, and the algae is grown in a bioreactor.

The wood from the trees is broken down and spun into textile yarn for the shirt. Once finished, the shirt is just a comfortable as a normal t shirt. The shirt is then dyed with algae pigment. The algae is passed through a filter and becomes and algae paste. This paste is then dried into an algae powder. This powder is added to a water-based binder to create the algae ink. Algae cannot survive out of water, but once the ink absorbed into the shirt, dead algae makes for a natural dye.The algae changes color over time as it fades. 

The t shirt will not break down when it is being worn or even in your closet. It will only break down once it is in the ground surrounded by fungus and decomposers. 

Textiles take up 7.6% of the world’s landfill mass, and the textile industry uses over 25 trillion tons of water for dyeing t shirts and other fabrics. This startup is hopefully a step towards more sustainable clothing manufacturing practices. 

Check out the shirts here: https://www.vollebak.com/product/plant-and-algae-t-shirt/

• Erin F. Fox
• Source: Good News Network

Although the eruption of the Kilauea volcano in July of last year caused much damage on the surface, the tons of lava flowing into the sea stimulated a massive algae bloom.

The bloom was so large it was seen from space, stretching over 2,000 square miles. Scientists say this massive bloom is due to the lava heating up deeper water, thus releasing more nutrients for phytoplankton to consume. The lava pouring into the ocean lead to the rise of silicic acid, nitrate, phosphate, and iron levels in the water. The bloom dissipated soon after the lava stopped flowing, but this phenomena leads scientists to question what we know about our ecosystem.

When the volcano erupted, scientists did not expect the lava to trigger a flourishing of life, yet more research into the phenomena explains this event. Researchers say that even knowing the type of phytoplankton that responded to the lava is huge in predicting the types of plants that will grow based upon the nutrients given- which is useful in creating fertilizer. The linkage of different environmental processes is huge in understanding the world we live in.

Though it is unclear how this event affected other marine life, scientists are working to investigate the newly formed pond in the Halema‘uma‘u crater at Kilauea’s summit.

• Erin F. Fox
• Source: Hawaii Tribune- Herald

The largest algae bloom in history is of Sargassum, a stringy, brown seaweed that serves as food and refuge for marine life. The large bloom of Sargassum stretches over 600 miles along Floridian and Mexican beaches, and appears to be the new normal in affected areas. Though Sargassum is non- toxic, in large amounts it can smother corals, and when on beaches it releases a terrible rotten egg smell. 

With hurricane Dorian approaching the Florida coast, scientists have been speculating as to the affect the hurricane may have on this large bloom. Though they are unsure of what will actually happen, they have come up with multiple theories of what can potentially happen. 

One potential outcome is that major Sargassum features can be disturbed due to the intense weather. Despite the disturbances, though, scientists say that the Sargassum will be able to reform after the storm passes. 

Another potential outcome is that the hurricane may bring more resources to the Sargassum, nourishing it and allowing it to grow even more. 

Both of these speculations are based upon limited observation, but are very real possibilities. Scientists still have plenty to learn about the relationship between hurricanes and algae blooms. 

- Erin F. Fox

Sources: 88.5 WMNF, BBC

Toxic algae blooms have become increasingly common in recent times, with its thick film covering beaches and lakes in areas across the globe. These blooms are toxic to humans, exposure can cause severe illness including vomiting and respiratory issues- depending on the nature of exposure.

Harmful algae blooms are also toxic to animals. There have been multiple reported cases of canine deaths just this past summer following exposure to algae blooms. Dogs can be exposed to algae blooms the same ways we can: by swimming in affected waters, accidental ingestion of affected water, or breathing in toxic fumes.

To protect your dog from harmful algae blooms, do not let them near water with telltale slimy film floating on top. You should stay away from algae blooms if at all possible. 

However, accidents do happen. If you think your pet has been exposed, take them to the vet immediately. There is not much time between exposure to attempt to reverse the effects. Do not wait- it may be too late. Symptoms will appear just minutes after exposure. Some symptoms of exposure include itchiness of the skin and eyes, vomiting and diarrhea, lethargy, or even seizures.

Overall, do not let your dog swim in a polluted body of water. Though some natural ponds are safe, and blue-green algae normally isn’t toxic, you can never be too careful. With the rise of harmful algae blooms, do not let your pet swim somewhere unless you are positive it is safe.

- Erin F. Fox

Source: Phys.org

We interviewed Melissa Mahoney, a fisheries policy manager who is passionate about creating healthy ocean and fishing communities. Melissa hopes to help with better management of fish resources in a step towards creating a cleaner future.

Currently [I am a]  fisheries policy manager for EDF.

I love the ocean, love fish, and enjoy the challenges of fisheries management.

Mostly computer work, phone calls, some in person meetings.

I hope that my involvement contributes to better management of fish resources, a healthy ocean and fishing communities.

I have a M.Sc. in marine science, BS in biology.

Civics in high school, marine biology/field studies in university.

I’ve had many mentors all through school and career. Mentors are sounding boards, cheerleaders, offer thoughtful reflection, write letters of support, and helped me gain confidence in my own abilities. Mentors are great to have!

Find out what makes you tick, try lots of new things, travel when you can. Forget the search ‘to make money’ so much as the search for your passion and to put your unique gifts to work in the world!

Okay, if you must make money, I suggest studying computer science (i.e. programming), spatial analysis (GIS) skills as that is used in practically everything now.

Meditation/mindfulness, emotional intelligence, communication.

Study hard, don’t give up when the science gets tough!

  The week of July 8, toxic algae blooms have forced the closure of many Mississippi beaches along the Gulf Coast. Beach goers can still enjoy the sun and the sand, but are strongly warned not to contact the water. Exposure can harm people and pets.

    The bloom looks like bright green paint, coating the water in a thick, fluorescent green. The algae in the water can cause many adverse symptoms, including stomach cramps, nausea, and vomiting. Furthermore, the state agency warns those living along the coast not to eat seafood, as toxins from the algae can damage the nervous system through fish and other seafood from affected areas. Further down the coast, Louisiana has also been warned about the toxic algae bloom. 

    This algae bloom has been caused by floodwater due to heavy rainfall. The freshwater in the Mississippi river spilled over from massive rainfall into the gulf, spreading the algae to the saltwater. The high salinity, shallow water,  and sunlight were perfect conditions for the algal bloom.

    The algae is, unfortunately, harmful to wildlife that find their home along the gulf coast. The bloom shows no sign of subsiding, and is expecting to get worse with more rainfall coming soon.

Erin F. Fox, 2019

Source: NPR News