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Xiang Zhao

Education: Ph.D. ’24, Cornell University
Cornell Advisor: Fengqi You, (Cornell Engineering/Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering)
EDF Advisor: Gemma Carroll

Xiang Zhao is a 2024 EDF-Cornell Atkinson Joint Postdoc. He is specialized in energy systems and sustainability with a solid academic foundation in chemical and systems engineering. He is dedicated to merging technical expertise with leadership and management skills to deliver sustainable solutions across: a) Process Research & Development; b) End-to-end Product Value Chain and System Design; c) Environmental, Economic (Sustainability) Assessment; d) Complex Systems Optimization (Linear and Nonlinear Systems)

Maximizing Carbon Sequestration and Avoided Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Eco-friendly Seaweed Processing Systems

In 2023, Environmental Defense Fund launched a demonstration seaweed and mussel farm in Cabalian Bay, the Philippines, in hopes of understanding whether seaweed production could improve ocean habitats and sequester greenhouse gases, while contributing to more sustainable sources of food, biofuel, cement, plastics or fertilizers. Researchers will collaborate with Philippine farmers to identify the most promising products manufactured from seaweeds in Cabalian Bay. Options include creating biofuels and fertilizers, applying seaweed to livestock manure lagoons to decrease methane emissions, or turning seaweed into plastics, cement composites, adobe, pavement, or roofing materials.