AquaSteady

By Cindie Kehlet, Anna Collette, Baillie Vensel, and Yazhe (Gigi) Luan

"Extreme weather, prolonged droughts, and rising temperatures are disrupting food systems around the world, fueling widespread insecurity and placing growing pressure on communities to adapt. This calls for innovative solutions that can enhance society's resilience and adaptability. AquaSteady, a U.S. National Science Foundation Convergence Accelerator grant-funded project led by Pratt Institute's Professor Cindie Kehlet of the Math & Science Department, is a seaweed-based hydrogel that retains large amounts of water and releases it slowly over time — capturing water from rain or irrigation and delivering it during droughts.

Extended droughts and heavy rains disrupt food production, causing crop damage and harmful fertilizer runoff that pollutes water sources. Since agriculture consumes 70 percent of global freshwater, inefficient practices place enormous strain on already limited resources. AquaSteady offers an effective solution for improving water management in agriculture, enriching soil, promoting plant health, and strengthening food security in a changing climate.

AquaSteady brings together a diverse team of scientists, designers, agronomists, farmers, and commercialization experts to develop nature-based solutions for resilient agriculture. By integrating deep expertise from academia, farming, and regenerative seaweed aquaculture, the project works to improve soil and water systems in the face of a changing climate. Our partners include:

• U.S. National Science Foundation Convergence Accelerator
• Pratt Institute
• City College of New York
• University of Arizona
• New Mexico State University
• University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez
• Doall Aquaculture"