Global Research
Local Solutions
We are scientists and engineers distilling global knowledge into research-driven solutions for self-sufficient local communities.
We are educators, training and equipping the next generation to tackle the challenges of tomorrow.
Research Projects
-
A combination of old chemistry and new biology is necessary to make unrecyclable plastic waste biodegradable
-
Culinary mushrooms thrive in the same environments we do: not too hot, not too cold, not too dry, a little bit of sunlight and fresh air. In a changing climate, we're rethinking how (and where) food is grown.
-
Microplastics are everywhere. Understanding what effect they have on human and environmental health is complex. We're focusing on how microbes from bacteria to yeast respond, for better or worse.
-
Our clothes combine both easily biodegradable textiles (like cotton) with synthetic fibers (like polyester). While fungi can upcycle cotton into tasty mushrooms, they require some microbial help to tackle the polyester.
Data Insights
-
![]()
Land + Food
How much land do we have, how is it used, and what does that mean for our food security and self-sufficiency?
-
![]()
Carbon Sequestration
How we use our land, where we get our food, and how we manage the waste directly impacts our the environment.
-
![]()
Urban Agriculture
A changing climate increasingly call for us to grow food at home, in school, and at work. Doing so securely, equitably and sustainably is not easy, but not impossible.
-
![]()
US Islands
The challenges facing the US Islands differ greatly from the US mainland. What security, sustainability and self-sufficiency looks like here requires understanding the unique geography, economy, culture and history.
-
![]()
Circular Economy
How do we manufacture all the foods, materials and medicines we need utilizing what we already have (or have too much of)?
