Duckweed For A Sustainable Future! - Tyler Wibbelt
Tyler Wibbelt
Duckweed is a family of very small aquatic plants, properly known as Lemnaceae, with great potential to contribute to a more environmentally sustainable future in a world with ever increasing demands on natural resources for food, energy, and raw materials. Duckweed represents a promising alternative source of renewable biomass, as opposed to wood, grasses, and algae that could help meet some of this demand. These little plants float on the surface of water and are typically found in ponds and lakes, but are also occasionally found in streams and rivers. Tyler Wibbelt Tyler Wibbelt is an agronomist and researcher who believes in the raw power of these little plants just waiting to be harnessed. He previously worked in the Lam Lab at Rutgers University and has continued his duckweed studies and research, while developing duckweed-related technologies and field demonstrations for groups such as Rutgers Agricultural Experiment Station, NJ Audobon, Edison Wetlands Association, and others. These groups have expressed great satisfaction and continued interest in Mr. Wibbelt’s research with applications for conservation, restoration, and biomass production. His engineered designs and field demonstrations have also helped advance the development of simple “bioreactors” for the production of biofuels and the degradation of organic wastes. Tyler Wibbelt’s skills in research, experimental design, laboratory cultivation, and quality control are unmatched in this area of research. His great work and dedication have earned him a reputation as being an exceptional laboratory research scientist with a pragmatic mindset. It is Tyler’s hope that duckweed cultivation systems will find wide deployment in both natural and constructed environments, including industrial cultivation systems. Tyler has several academic passions that lead him to duckweed research – these interests include biological science, ecology, wetlands, and environmental science. He is naturally curious about the environment and biotic systems, but has a deep appreciation of plants. He regularly reads academic journals, online articles, and special interest texts to get new insights into plants and environmental science issues. He believes in the interconnectedness of all living things on Earth and believes that we should seek to be responsible environmental stewards of this planet by seeking understanding and continually improving our way of life toward a sustainable future. |