Algae was in the White House today. During the 2015 White House Science Fair President Obama came face-t0-face with young innovators showing off their solutions to a wide range of challenges facing the world. To no surprise of ABO, one of the Earth’s oldest organisms–algae–was on the stage.
Sophia Sanchez-Maes (16) of New Mexico had the chance to show President Obama a technology breakthrough she developed after hearing that algae have the potential to provide 5,000 gallons or more of biofuel per cultivated acre.
Using a strain of algae that thrives in difficult conditions found in the geothermal features of Yellowstone National Park, Sanchez-Maes designed a wastewater treatment system that not only cleans water, it generates energy while doing so.
A job well done, and we look forward to hearing more from this young algae innovator!