Six student scientists were presented with the fourth annual Young Algae Researcher Awards earlier this month for their contributions to fields of algae biology and engineering at the 2015 Algae Biomass Summit, the official conference of the Algae Biomass Organization (ABO).
The awards are presented at the world’s largest gathering of algae industry and academic leaders and recognize outstanding research projects by early-career scientists that are finding ways to use algae to create a range of renewable fuels, fertilizers, plastics and other products. The students presented their ideas via posters which were featured in the Summit’s exhibit hall.
More than 120 posters were accepted this year, representing a wide variety of technologies and research projects. A panel of judges evaluated the posters based on six key criteria: presentation, methodology, data analysis, poster integrity and the presentation of the poster by the presenter him or herself.
The Young Algae Research Awards are presented to winners for research conducted in two subject areas: biology and engineering. For outstanding research in algae biology, awards went to:
1st Place: Matt Jackson, Montana State University
2nd Place: Sarah Loftus, Duke University
3rd Place Todd Pedersen, Montana State University
For outstanding research in algae engineering, the awards went to:
1st Place: Peter Schnurr, University of Toronto
2nd Place: Lili Gevorkian, California Polytechnic University
3rd Place: Kimberly Pugel, California Polytechnic University
Congratulations to each of these young scientists! Their innovations are building the foundation for the technologies, products and companies of tomorrow.