Slab Lab
Our outdoor seaweed aquaculture lab at Scripps Institution of Oceanography serves as a hub for innovative research and development to expand the capacity for sustainable, locally-grown seaweed cultivation and utilization in Southern California.
Innovation
Slab Lab hosts cutting-edge research on new ways to utilize cultivated seaweed, from reducing methane emissions to pioneering culinary applications.
Education
Students use this outdoor facility to learn and develop aquaculture techniques, life support maintenance, and conduct research projects.
Collaboration
Working with 3rd party organizations provides an opportunity to develop farming methods for seaweeds that can be scaled up for commercial production
The Facility
The lab facilities include running, highly filtered seawater pumped from Scripps Pier, natural sunlight, electrical outlets, access to compressed air, and tanks of varying sizes. These resources, along with our lab equipment and scientific collecting permits, enable the researchers to establish living cultures of native seaweeds and conduct growth trials to determine productivity and seasonal variability.
Featured Research
The Builder's Initiative Grant - Expanding the Capacity for Culinary Seaweed Cultivation and Use in Southern CA
In collaboration with Sunken Seaweed, San Diego Bay Aquaculture, and Q Fresh Labs, the Smith Lab was awarded The Builders Initiative Grant
The project aims to enhance culinary seaweed cultivation in Southern California and beyond. Addressing the urgent need for sustainable food sources amid population growth and climate change, we focus on cultivating native seaweeds such as Gracilaria pacifica and Palmeria mollis in both land-based systems, and in San Diego Bay. The initiative will identify optimal growing conditions and explore post-harvest treatments to extend shelf life and maximize product utility. Collaborating with San Diego Bay Aquaculture, the project seeks to integrate research products into local markets, contributing to the blue economy and creating new jobs, while promoting sustainable, locally-grown seaweed for culinary use.
Rebecca Richards, San Diego Bay Aquaculture“Collaborating with Scripps Institution of Oceanography allows for the transfer of applied technology and the potential for development of new marine-related products. Working with a world-renowned institution, its assets and its teams of faculty and graduate students, gives commercial ventures access to a free exchange of ideas, stimulating creativity and exploration that in turn may lead to marketable results and scale."
Learn More About Our Collaborators
