www.thealgaefoundation.org
ANNUAL REPORT
2025 2025
Where STEM Education Meets Workforce Development
Table of Contents
A Message from Our CEO
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Mission, Vision, Values
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Our Programs
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2025 Impact Highlights
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Program Updates
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Support The Algae Foundation
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Why it Matters
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A Message from Our CEO Board of Directors Board Chair Jesse Traller Ojeda California Marine Sanctuary Foundation
Secretary Jake Nalley Pluton Biosciences
Treasurer Edmund Gaither BHP Mike Lomas Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences Peter Koffler Blackstone Phil Pienkos Tiffany Cannis
Staff Marissa Nalley Senior Director of Programs & Operations Sydni Higbee Operations Manager Serena Chen Senior Programs Manager Rebecca Ferguson-Spies Fulfillment Coordinator
Dr. Ike Levine CEO, The Algae Foundation Thank you to our board of directors, staff, and volunteers who worked relentlessly throughout 2025, making it another successful year for the Algae Foundation. We exceeded our milestones and goals and look forward to continued success in implementing our mission, vision, and newly adopted strategic plan for 2026-2028. Our 2025 Successes Included: Completion of AlgaePrize 2023-2025, our second iteration of the national research competition; Development and adoption of novel collegiate courses (Biology of Algae Laboratory, Hawaiian Limu, and Seaweed Biology & Cultivation); Record-breaking year for Algae Academy, serving 702 teachers and over 61,000 students; Distributed Phycoverse, an algae-based board game; Held our second seaweed workshop at the University of Puerto Rico. We expect 2026 to be equally productive with the launch of new seaweed courses, the distribution of an algae-based video and role-playing games, and additional biotech curricula. We remain on target to reach our ultimate goal of collaborating with every school district in the United States. 3
Mission Vision Values MISSION Our mission is to promote the power of algae to solve societal and environmental challenges through education, workforce development, mentoring, and public outreach. To accomplish its mission, the Algae Foundation: Establishes novel workforce development opportunities through experiential learning, national research competitions, and coursework. Develops STEM educational programs serving K-12 educators and students, colleges, and working professionals. Supports the development of future leaders throughout the algae value chain with scholarships/grants and organizational support. Facilitates communication and outreach amongst private, academic, and public sectors to increase literacy and awareness of the benefits and opportunities of algae for humankind and the planet.
VISION We see a future that embraces algae as an essential solution for a healthy society and planet.
VALUES Collaboration We build strong partnerships, foster teamwork, and create dynamic networks to solve challenges and develop real-world solutions that will leave a lasting impact.
Excellence We commit to the highest standards of quality, striving for outstanding impact in all that we do. Innovation We embrace creativity and forwardthinking solutions to enrich opportunities in STEM education and workforce development.
Integrity We uphold the highest ethical standards and promote trust and respect by being responsible, transparent and accountable.
Growth We strive to expand our reach each year and strengthen our programs to provide deeper and more meaningful STEM learning experiences to all students.
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What We Do
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STEM Education We provide dynamic algae-based STEM education programs that inspire learners of all ages. Our hands-on curricula, classroom initiatives, and educator resources bring algal science to life while promoting sustainability, innovation, and scientific curiosity.
2 Workforce Development We support the next generation of algae professionals through scholarships, grants, training initiatives, and industry-connected programs. By empowering emerging leaders, we strengthen the algae workforce and advance the bioeconomy. 5
Our Programs K-12 EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Algae Academy Summer Algae Science Institute (SASI) Cultivate Microscope Giving Program
POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Algae Technology Educational Consortium (ATEC) Algal Massive Open Online Courses (Algal-MOOCs) Algae Cultivation Extension Short-courses (ACES) Collegiate Curriculum – Algae Cultivation & Algae Biotechnology Micro-credentialing Digital Badging Algae Learning and Growth Adventure (ALGA) Workshop
COLLEGIATE COMPETETIONS AlgaePrize
STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS Mary Rosenthal Memorial Scholarships
EDUCATIONAL GAMES Phycoverse Card Deck* Two Role-Playing games*
Algae Video Game * *Projects are still in development
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OUR IMPACT: 2025 HIGHLIGHTS PEOPLE
70,536
63,404
6,311
821
K-12 students experienced hands-on STEM education
Students engaged in workforce development programming
Teachers received FREE STEM supplies
REACH
14,667
13,132
1,085
450
Followers engaged via social media
Attendees at Algae Foundation presentations
Algae Insiders subscribed to our newsletter
PARTNERS
716
652
49
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K-12 Educational Institutions
Post-Secondary & Workforce Development
Funders, Donors & Collaborators 7
The Algae Academy takes algae from “Ick” to “Awesome!” and has students nationwide asking big questions as they explore the potential of algae in their classrooms. The Algae Academy is a FREE, hands-on, algae-based STEM kit & NGSSaligned curriculum that uses algae as the vehicle for exploration as students cultivate algae, monitor its growth, analyze and interpret data, and make connections as to how algae production positively impacts the global environment.
BY THE NUMBERS
Students
Teachers
Schools
Our Reach
61,747
702
628
47 States & Puerto Rico
ALGAE AS THE SPARK Algae Academy
Science Fair
Multiple students pursued algal-based science fair projects, sparking curiosity and hands-on exploration in algal science. These students were supported by teacher advisors and Algae Foundation Board Members who provided mentorship and industry expertise.
Algae Academy
Team Algators
AlgaePrize
Students from Livingston High School in New Jersey took their love of algae to the next level by competing in the AlgaePrize competition as Team Algators. Their project focused on developing algae-based fertilizers to replace synthetic ones. They were chosen as finalists!
The Algae Academy creates the kind of curiosity you hope for but can’t always plan. It’s low-stress, genuinely hands-on, and the materials actually work straight out of the box—no scavenger hunts for missing pieces. My students carried what they learned into the real world, asked better questions, and noticed things they’d never paid attention to before. It’s one of those rare programs that makes 8 your class feel alive in the best way. - Angie Angstrom, High School Teacher
Summer Algae Science Institute ALGAL BASED EDUCATOR TRAINING
The Summer Algae Science Institute (SASI) offers hands-on professional development that brings the Algae Academy curriculum to life — online and in person. Led by members of the Algae Academy Advisory Board, participants experience all five parts of the curriculum, including the live algae lab. After the training, teachers are ready to introduce their students to the wonders of algae!
TEACHERS & TRAININGS
Teachers
Trainings
95
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COLLABORATOR SPOTLIGHT The Baxter Center for Science Education Northwestern University The SASI workshops are one of the most popular professional development offerings each year. Our collaboration allows us to expand our capacity, support teacher learning, and continue to provide free supplies and resources for middle and high school teachers in Chicagoland. Teachers consistently share great feedback about the training and appreciate how practical and accessible it is.
The Baxter Center has been a valued SASI partner since 2021 and has played a key role in expanding our reach across the greater Chicagoland area. In Summer 2025, The Baxter Center hosted its fifth SASI training. Since inception, this partnership has served 112 teachers.
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Cultivate introduces students to the emerging role of algae in agriculture through a 2-week, hands-on, AFNR (Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources) aligned curriculum. Students explore the Teachers basic living requirements of algae, 17 examine multiple algae farming methods, and engage in experimental design by inoculating their own tabletop raceways. Students build data literacy skills by calculating, graphing, and analyzing Students results, and culminate the experience with a shark-tank style activity, developing an 636 algae-based company and product to pitch to their peers.
Getting the raceways up and running at Waipahu High School
TABLETOP RACEWAY 2.0 In 2024, the Cultivate tabletop raceway was redesigned, the updated version made its debut in Spring 2025. The new design more closely mimics a full-scale raceway pond, allowing students to work within conditions that are representative of real-world industrial systems and making the experience more directly applicable to commercial algae production.
Mercedez Hanlon and Alexander Bechtel, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
The updated design not only better supports the Cultivate program, but also serves as a valuable tool to advance research initiatives beyond K–12.
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Microscope Giving Program The Microscope Giving Program expands access to hands-on STEM learning by putting microscopes into classrooms that need them most. For many teachers, limited equipment is a major barrier to meaningful science exploration and participation in programs like Algae Academy. By filling these critical gaps, the program ensures students can fully engage in lab-based activities by observing samples up close, collecting data, and applying scientific concepts in real time. With access to microscopes, teachers are able to turn lessons into real investigations rather than demonstrations. Each microscope placed in a classroom strengthens program participation, sparks student curiosity, and builds confidence and critical thinking skills.
Teachers
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Microscopes
136
Students
636
WHAT ARE THEY LOOKING AT? During the Algae Academy, students explore 4 species of algae up close: Nannochloropsis, Arthrospira platensis, Micrasterias radiata, and Isochrysis galbana. A huge thank you to Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences and UTEX Culture Collection of Algae at the University of Texas at Austin for providing the algae samples! 11
The Algae Foundation’s Algae Technology Educational Consortium (ATEC) program recognizes that algal production will provide a sustainable source of biomass for bio-based products, feed, food, and fuel, thereby creating high-quality jobs for an educated workforce. A partnership among academic institutions, national research laboratories, and industry leaders, the Consortium’s goal is to develop novel educational programs to strengthen industry workforce capabilities by focusing on the skills needed to support the commercialization of algae and algal products. Through algal education, students learn practical applications of farming and biotechnology, developing the skills for the next generation of algal-based jobs. ATEC is currently comprised of 48 partner academic and research institutions based throughout the United States.
2025 UPDATES ATEC welcomed two new partners: Northland Pioneer College in Snowflake, AZ and University of Massachusetts Boston, School for the Environment in Boston, MA.
Four ATEC members had AlgaePrize Finalist Teams: Solano Community College (Solano, CA), Santa Fe Community College (Santa Fe, NM), Johnson County Community College (Overland Park, KS), and Livingston High School (Livingston, NJ).
Distributed 100 Phycoverse Board Games across diverse learning environments, expanding the reach of our educational resources.
In April 2025, ATEC members gathered in Golden, Colorado, to advance the ATEC curriculum, with a focus on developing modules for an educational, algae-based computer game. Designed for K–12 classrooms, the game will help students explore photosynthesis, algae farming, and the many applications of algae. Stay tuned for its release in 2026! 12
Algae Learning and Growth Adventure (ALGA) Workshop In partnership with C.R.E.S. Laboratories and Idaho National Lab, the Algae Foundation hosted the second annual Algae Learning and Growth Adventure (ALGA) workshop at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras campus. 57 students engaged in hands-on activities and interactive sessions that enhanced their understanding of macroalgae. The weekend featured a blend of academic sessions and practical hands-on efforts, including a boat tour and snorkeling through underwater reefs in La Parguera, ensuring attendees gained a well-rounded grasp of macroalgae! The workshop included comprehensive lectures covering a wide range of topics related to seaweeds. Experts presented on general seaweed biology and products, which have applications in food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and biofuels. ALGA also included lessons on harvesting and processing seaweeds, with a particular emphasis on stabilization techniques. This blend of theory and practice ensured that participants gained a holistic understanding of the seaweed industry, from basic biology to commercial applications. A highlight of the workshop was a presentation by AlgaeNano+, an AlgaePrize 2023–2025 finalist team from the University of Puerto Rico. Their innovative approach to utilizing algae for sustainable solutions emphasized the significance of student-led projects in advancing algal innovations.
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AlgaePrize The AlgaePrize, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and supported by the Algae Foundation and the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), is a national algal-based competition that challenges students to become the next generation of bioeconomy professionals by developing novel solutions to production, processing, and new product development. Student teams compete for prize awards and national recognition, while shaping the global future of converting algae to biofuels (e.g., sustainable marine and aviation fuels), vitamin- and protein-rich foods and animal feeds, ecological services, and industrial compounds (e.g., biopolymers).
COMPETITION WEEKEND 2025
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Total participating states
12
Total participating schools
15
Finalist Teams
94
Total participating students & faculty advisors
The AlgaePrize 2023–2025 Competition launched in August 2023 with 50 teams and hundreds of students from across the country submitting innovative proposals in hopes of earning the title of Grand Champion, winning $35,000 in prize funds, and gaining national recognition. Competitors represented high schools, colleges, and universities nationwide, gaining hands-on STEM experience. From the initial 50 teams, 15 finalists were selected and awarded $10,000 each to conduct research over two academic years. Their efforts culminated in the AlgaePrize 2025 Competition Weekend, held July 18–20, 2025, at NLR’s campus in Golden, Colorado. There, teams presented their research to an expert panel of judges, competed for additional prizes, and gained invaluable networking and professional development opportunities. In total, 13 finalist teams from across the country and Puerto Rico showcased their projects to the judges.
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2025 CHAMPION TEAMS GRAND CHAMPION
Parachlorella Plastic Pals University of California, San Diego From Protist to Plastic: Microalgal Feedstock for Synthesis of 100% Algae-based Polyurethanes CHAMPION TEAM
CHAMPION TEAM
BlazerBloom
Aloha Limu
Hood College | Harvesting Microalgae Using Magnetotactic Bacteria
University of Hawaii at Hilo | Up-cycled Vertical Bag Culture of Halymenia
CHAMPION TEAM
CHAMPION TEAM
AlgaeNanno+
JCCC Chlorella Cavaliers
University of Puerto Rico | Macroalgae-Derived Carbon Nanomaterials: The Next Frontier in Energy Materials and Soil Remediation
Johnson County Community College | Genetically Engineered Algae to Degrade Plastic and Improve Ecosystems
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Mary Rosenthal Memorial Student Travel Grant The Mary Rosenthal Memorial Student Travel Grant supports student presentations at the annual Algae Biomass Summit. Mary Rosenthal was the first executive director of the Algae Foundation and a champion for STEM education. These grants are dedicated to her memory.
2025 AWARD RECIPIENT YIDAN ZHANG Ph.D. Candidate in Nutritional Sciences University of Connecticut Oral Presentation: From Ocean to Package: Scalable SeaweedBased Coatings for Enhanced Paper Packaging Performance Abstract Summary: Plastic-lined single-use food packaging is a major contributor to plastic pollution and microplastic contamination. Although compostable plastics like PLA and PHA exist, they typically require industrial composting and still fragment into microplastics. This research addresses both sustainability and performance by developing a seaweed-based barrier coating for paper packaging that is fully plastic-free and homecompostable. The core of this work is a novel Reactive Extrusion Extraction (REE) method that processes Saccharina latissima (sugar kelp) into a functional, coat-ready slurry in a single, continuous step without organic solvents or harsh chemicals. This method allows for the efficient release of alginate, while partially fibrillating the cellulose into microfibers. These components form a composite matrix that enhances moisture and grease barrier properties through a combination of the natural lipophobicity of seaweed polysaccharides, combined with a dense film structure and tortuous diffusion pathways created by embedded microcellulose. When applied to paper, the seaweed coating achieved a 76% reduction in WVTR, lowering the water vapor transmission rate from 319 to 77 g/m²/day under ASTM F1249(38 °C, 90% RH), and outperformed commercial grease-resistant tissue by 37%. Grease repellency was significantly improved, with the contact angle against castor oil increasing from 17.2° to 49.5°. Additionally, grease resistance measured by TAPPI T559 PM-96 showed a KIT rating increase from 0 (uncoated) to 5 for the seaweed-coated paper. Real food testing with chicken nuggets and fries confirmed excellent oil resistance. The coating formulation uses only seaweed and food-grade soda ash, making it safe, biodegradable, and suitable for home composting. Ongoing work includes optimizing REE parameters, validating compostability through home compost trials, and assessing coating compatibility with scalable paper processing techniques. This project demonstrates the technical and environmental potential of seaweed as a high-value, climateresilient feedstock for sustainable food packaging, while supporting coastal economies and reducing dependence on plastics. 16
ALGA Workshop participants identifying macroalgae samples
Algae Academy students starting their cultures
JCCC Chlorella Cavaliers AlgaePrize
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Support The Algae Foundation DONATE To support the Algae Foundation via credit card, please donate online at paypal.me/algaefoundation. To donate by mail, checks should be made payable to “The Algae Foundation” and sent to: The Algae Foundation 111 Tripp Lake Camp Rd. Poland, ME 04274
CONTACT US info@thealgaefoundation.org
(207) 754 6969
MORE WAYS TO GIVE SPONSOR Want to make a direct impact? You can now sponsor an Algae Academy kit for a classroom, provide teacher stipends for SASI training, or fund student travel to professional conferences. To explore our current sponsorship needs, please contact Sydni Higbee at shigbee@thealgaefoundation.org.
SHOP In 2025, the Algae Foundation launched the Algae Foundation Shop. Here you can support the work we do by purchasing one of our famous I ♥ Algae t-shirts, the Phycoverse board game, and your very own Tabletop Raceway! Visit the shop at thealgaefoundation.myshopify.com.
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Why It Matters Our work is about more than just algae; it’s about inspiring curiosity, building skills, and opening doors for students and educators alike. By connecting classrooms, research labs, and communities, we create opportunities for discovery at every level while helping to bridge gaps in the educational system. Through hands-on learning and cutting-edge curriculum, our programs empower students, teachers, and institutions to explore new ideas, solve real problems, and advance scientific understanding. The true measure of our impact is reflected in the stories and successes of the people we serve.
Algae Academy Teacher My school is a Title I public school in one of the lowest-income areas of Albuquerque, NM. Every student receives free lunch...supplies are often worn down, incomplete, or held together by a heroic amount of tape and determination. We’re used to making do, substituting, and getting creative. So when the shipment of Algae Academy materials arrived...I made it an event. At the start of each class, I gathered the kids and we opened the box together. Brandnew equipment, sealed bags, everything untouched. Watching my students realize they were going to be the first ones to use something shiny and functional was genuinely moving. We didn’t have to improvise. We didn’t have to fix anything with binder clips. Everything just… worked. And it felt really, really good for all of us.
Algae Academy student
AlgaePrize Student The AlgaePrize competition facilitated the development of crucial research skills, such as applying for grants, meeting deadlines, forming a hypothesis and developing a way to test it, preparing for academic presentations, and being part of a team. I am so grateful for this experience and being able to pursue my passions.
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Thank You The progress shared in these pages is only possible because of you. We - the Algae Foundation team, our Board, and our partners - extend our deepest gratitude for your 2025 support and your continued partnership in 2026.
Algae Foundation Staff
Keep in touch. Subscribe to our Newsletter Become an Algae Enthusiast! Subscribe to our newsletter by visiting out websit at www.thealgaefoundation.org.
Connect with Us info@thealgaefoundation.org www.thealgaefoundation.org @algaefoundation
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