Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** with an additional 2 billion people…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** with an additional 2 billion people to feed by 2050 along with growing demand for animal-sourced protein, there is a need for drastic innovation in order for food production to outpace population growth but reduce its environmental footprint. Sustainable aquaculture - farming of shellfish and macroalgae - presents one promising pathway to a more sustainable global food system. The world is responding to this promise: aquaculture is now the fastest-growing food sector globally. However, U.S. Investment in aquaculture lags far behind other countries (NOAA, 2020).the project proposed here will leverage a partnership between academic, non-profit, and commercial organizations, to accelerate sustainable marine aquaculture research at the undergraduate level. This partnership will provide undergraduate students with hands-on research experience in aquacultureinformed by criteria arising through science, economics, and policy. We will focus particularly on bivalve and seaweed aquaculture, as 'unfed' products that are rich in nutrients for human consumption, and are generally viewed as ecologically-sound since they play important roles in bioremediation, carbon sequestration, and prevention of coastal erosion. This project will produce a cadre of undergraduate students with an understanding of the aquaculture practices, challenges, and opportunities. Upon graduation, some of these students will undertake further post-graduate education in aquaculture-related research or will directly join aquaculture commercial ventures. Together, these students will further the capacity of the united states to farm the ocean and to enhance food independence security.