Description

Most San Diegans have seen plenty of seaweed on the beach, but what is it good for? This 90-min. session will provide an overview of seaweed as a group, and explore its diverse uses, from gastronomy and its economic importance in various industries such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and bio fuels, to its ecological significance and remarkable potential for carbon capture to mitigate climate change. After the one-hour lecture, you will have the opportunity to make a pressing of a local species of seaweed as a souvenir.

Paul Detwiler has worked as a researcher, technician, videographer, and educator in Bermuda, Florida, Australia, and Southern California. His interests include marine invertebrate ecology, coral reef management and conservation, and developing multimedia for marine science education.

He received his undergraduate degrees in Marine Biology and Genetics from the University of California, Berkeley, and his Master’s in Marine Ecology from San Diego State University. He has held teaching, research, and consulting positions with SDSU, the University of San Diego, the Nat and the Los Angeles Natural History Museum, the National Ocean Sciences Bowl, Reef.org, and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Since 2001 he has taught courses in Marine Biology, Oceanography, Environmental Science, and General Biology in the San Diego Community College District, emphasizing experiential learning activities.