This research investigated the potential for using Lemna minor to recover N and P from slurry over a five-week trial, assessing whether previously reported increased growth on acidified wastewater translates into greater nutrient removal.

Read more here.

We were delighted to recently spend a fruitful day with local dairy farmers at the Brainwaves stakeholder engagement event in UCC. The farming industry in Ireland is rapidly changing, with both new threats and new opportunities arising. 

At this informal event Prof Marcel Jansen presented on some of the new opportunities for integrating duckweed cultivation in Irish farming. PhD candidate, Cian Redmond, discussed the results from his reserach conducted by growing Duckweed on waste water streams collected from local dairy farms. Stephen O’Sullivan presented on the story of the Green Farmer Cooperative, and their work on duckweed as a cash-crop for dairy farmers. 

After the informal talks we embarked into the Indian summer sunshine for an informative tour and demonstration of the Duckweed Growth Facilities both in the labs and glasshouses at the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences.  

Thank you to our stakeholders for participating in the Brainwaves project, sharing their insights from a farmers perspective and for making the day such an interesting and informative event. 

An early start for the Aberystwyth Brainwaves team on Tuesday 25^th July as we headed off for the Royal Welsh Show.

Dylan’s day kicked off with an interview with BBC Radio 4 for ‘Farming Today’ talking about growing duckweed as a source of protein for animal feed, which was broadcast the following morning as  part of a series of interviews from around the show.

Project partners and Programme Monitoring Committee members gathered in Portmarnock, Dublin on 23rd June to celebrate the success of the 2014-2020 Ireland Wales European Territorial Co-operation Programme.

The event, compared by Newstalk’s Jonathan Healy, provided the stage for project beneficiaries in Ireland and Wales to talk about their experiences of working together across the Irish Sea, following opening video addresses from Mark Drakeford the First Minister of Wales and Pascal Donohoe, Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform in Ireland.

In Ireland, interest in duckweed research and applications has steadily grown over the years. However, research and development efforts are somewhat scattered, with sometimes a lack of joined-up thinking. To bring key stakeholders together, as well as to bring in best international expertise, a one-day workshop on “Duckweed Research and Applications for the Circular Bioeconomy in Ireland” was organised at University College Cork (UCC) in the south of Ireland on the 9^th of June 2023.

The Brainwaves team in University College Cork and Aberystwyth University gathered together for a working lunch to celebrate Europe Day 2023 on the 50th anniversary of Ireland's membership to the EU. 

Sticking with a European theme the UCC colleagues enjoyed a delicious Italian cuisine. Buon Cibo!!

Dr. Gruffydd Lloyd-Jones who is a Post Doctoral Researcher on the Brainwaves Project based at Aberystwyth University attended the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) Resources Conference Cymru in Cardiff on 22^nd March, 2023.

Dr. Gruffydd Jones enjoyed the diverse line-up of speakers at the conference and promoted the Brainwaves Project while networking amongst the delgates. 

Further resources

https://wrap.org.uk/

https://naturalresources.wales/guidance-and-advice/environmental-topics/waste-management/meeting-the-end-of-waste-test/?lang=en

Held in the beautiful setting of the National Library of Wales BRAINWAVES hosted a workshop for our stakeholders in late March.

BRAINWAVES team members Marcel Jansen and Gruff Jones were joined on the podium by Aled Jones (President, NFU Cymru) who provided personal insight into his slurry management system and the challenges being faced by farmers.

Following a morning of interesting talks, the discussions continued whilst we visited the Botany Gardens where our outdoor experiments are up and running. Not the warmest of spring days, it was a bit chilly in the polytunnel and our outdoor duckweed had only just got growing (no March heatwave this year!)

The Welsh Brainwaves team gathered together in Aberystwyth University to celebrate St Patrick's Day 2023. 

Legend has it that, Patrick, or Padrig in Welsh, was born into a wealthy Romano-British family around the year 386 AD. Exactly where is unknown – some say Scotland, others say Wales.

He was taken to Ireland after being kidnapped at the age of 16 by Irish raiders. Enslaved, Patrick tended sheep on Sliabh Mis (or Slemish Mountain), in Co Antrim, for several years before escaping to Britain.

He subsequently trained for the priesthood in France – he came to be known as Pádraig in Ireland and was also sometimes referred to by his family name, Mac Calprainn (or Son of Calpurnius).

Around 431 AD, Pádraig returned to Ireland as a missionary; he would go on to play a significant role in converting Ireland to Christianity.

The Science Fair held between the 14-16^th March on Penglais Campus is an annual event to celebrate British Science Week. Aimed at school children aged 9-11 the interactive exhibits engage pupils with a range of lively science activities and quizzes. Nearly 1500 pupils from 35 schools attended this years’ event.

Children from around West Wales competed to become the ‘Champion Duckweed’ on the BRAINWAVES exhibit at Aberystwyth Universities Science Fair. Spurred on by Laurie, the team faced queues of children wanting to take up the challenge of removing nutrients from pools of diluted slurry.

So how does that work!!

We celebrated International Women's Day (IWD) with a wonderful team of women who all share many commonalities but one definite one-the love of the humble duckweed plant!! 

The theme of this years IWD was #EmbraceEquity. The campaign theme is to get the world talking about Why equal opportunities aren't enough. 

We spoke about this theme and came across a very apt quote by american author, Jody Picoult, that we wanted to share: 

'Equality is treating everyone the same. But equity is taking differences into account so everyone has a chance to succeed' 

There’s nothing more Welsh than St. David’s Day, the feast and celebration that falls on March 1st and commemorates the patron saint of Wales, Saint David. 

In colaboration with the Ports Past and Present Team we celebrated St. David's Day 2023 in style, even with homemade Welsh Cakes!!!!

St. David, a famous teacher and the founder of what is today St. David’s Cathedral, was famed for his pious austerity and his ability to perform miracles.

Many miracles are ascribed to St. David, including the resurrection of a dead child and the restoration of sight to a blind man. One of the more famous miracles associated with him is the formation of a hill beneath him as he preached to a large crowd, allowing them to see and hear him more clearly.

His last words to his followers before his death are thought to have been: "Be joyful, keep the faith and do the little things that you have heard and seen me do." The phrase gwenwch y pethau bychain mewn bywyd which means 'Do the little things in life' is still a well-known phrase in Wales.

We are delighted to be involved in organising this FREE event “Duckweed Research and Applications for the Circular Bioeconomy in Ireland” in UCC on June 9th 2023. Save the date and don't forget to register early by emailing (a.jansen@ucc.ie) as places are limited!

More details to follow...........

We are delighted to welcome Ms Laurie Stevenson to the Brainwaves team. We caught up with her recently and she told us all about her studies and how she became involved in the project.

We were delighted to welcome award-winning broadcaster, science communicator and columnist Kathriona Devereux and her RTE film crew to our research facilities in the School of BEES, UCC recently.

We were gratified to recently join our UCC-based Ireland Wales project colleagues to attend the reception for Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford and Welsh Rural Affairs Minister, Lesley Griffiths on UCC campus. 

Great to showcase the richness of the Ireland Wales Cooperation with our project on duckweed and wastewater valorisation. Interesting discussions and great enthusiasm shared for the project with the Welsh Rural Minister, Lesley Griffiths. 

Cian Redmond, a native of Co. Wicklow, bravely agreed to undertake an interview for our Researcher Profile section. Cian recently graduated with a B.Sc. in Applied Plant Biology from University College Cork (UCC) where his interest in studying duckweed started. 

We are delighted to hear that Cian will continue his passion for working with duckweed plants, as he begins a PhD funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to work on the Duck-Feed project in the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences here in UCC.

Congratulations Cian and we wish you all the best in your future studies. 

Many thanks to all who came by to visit our stand at UCC Distillery Fields- Explore Climate Change and Biodiversity event on Culture Night 2022.  Great engagement and interest in the project from all those who stopped by and chatted to our research scientists! 

We are delighted to share the current Newsletter for the Community of Duckweed Research & Applications, which is edited by the International Steering Committee on Duckweed Research & Applications (ISCDRA).

After a 2-year absence, the Royal Welsh Show came back with a sizzle last month taking place during the hottest days ever recorded in Wales! Our project team was delighted to showcase Brainwaves on the 18th & 19th July with a stand outside the Aberystwyth University Education Pavilion.

Ms Marion Blanchard, a French Masters student from Toulouse in Southwest France recently spent some time volunteering on the Brainwaves Project. Sounds like she really enjoyed the experience gained and the Irish culture. 

We tested our interview skills on Marion and asked her about her time spent in Ireland. 

After a 2 year absence, the Cork Carnival of Science came back with a bang this month. Our project team was delighted to showcase Brainwaves at the science-filled spectacular, held at Fitzgerald’s Park on June 11th and 12th.

Organised by Old Cork Waterworks Experience with support from Cork City Council and SFI, the free, weekend long event showcased the wonders of science for all ages. We joined a jam-packed lineup that featured live demonstrations, hands on workshops and interactive experiments.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to chat to our research team, discover our tabletop flow through system in action, watch our video and share their own insight and perspectives with us. We were particularly thrilled to see over 54 new people sign up to our project newsletter. Who knew one little plant could be so interesting!

Brainwaves project Principal Investigator Professor Marcel Jansen took to the airwaves for popular RTÉ Radio 1 wildlife and nature show Mooney Goes Wild. Appearing alongside UCC President Professor John O'Halloran, the segment highlighted the groundbreaking work on climate change, biodiversity loss and the circular economy being done in University College Cork.

Professor Jansen focused on the important work being done by the Brainwaves team in developing an innovative method of phytoremediation – cleaning agricultural wastewater using native duckweed plants. He explained the application of duckweed-based systems in on-farm settings, the research challenges being tackled to optimise these systems for large scale commerical use, and the economic benefits for farmers, including the creation of a high-protein feed source using duckweed biomass. 

The segment aired live on April 11th, but you can listen back here at 43 minutes in.

To mark Europe Day 2022, Brainwaves joined a public showcase of EU-funded projects held at Wexford County Council offices on May 9th.

Nearly a dozen projects across the south and east regions of Ireland attended on the day, highlighting the extent of the exciting EU-funded work happening across a diverse array of sectors including tourism, technology and climate change.

Across the Irish Sea in Wales, the research team enjoyed an outdoor picnic with other EU-funded projects at Aberystwyth University.

Below: The Welsh team enjoying a well-earned break in the fresh air on Europe Day

For the past year, Abby Campbell and Kirsty Allwood have been working within the BRAINWAVES research group based in Aberystwyth University as a part of the year in industry degree scheme.

Both of them have a keen interest in botany and sustainable agriculture, and so were both eager to join the ongoing research in duckweed and its potential to remediate against agricultural waste.

Post lockdowns they were very excited to get as much laboratory experience as possible.

UCC researchers on the EU-funded Brainwaves Project have developed an innovative, sustainable method of wastewater remediation – all with the help of a common native Irish plant.

February 11th 2022 marked the seventh International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Held annually, this day exists to recognise and promote the contributions of women and girls in STEM (Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics) fields.

Newly published paper from Brainwaves’ researchers highlights the challenges and opportunities for large-scale indoor Lemnaceae growth

Nothing beats duckweed (Lemnaceae) when it comes to fast growth! These amazing plants can double in biomass in just over a day. However, these plants don’t just grow fast, they are also highly nutritious, and can be used in animal feed or as human food. By culturing these plants indoors, a steady stream of fresh produce can be generated, irrespective of seasons.

Mount Lucas farm near Daingean in Co. Offaly is a rather unique place. Apart from its dramatic setting on several acres of windswept blanket bog, it is also home to an exciting circular economy project. Through the AquaMona project, former Bord na Móna peatlands have been transformed into Ireland’s only large-scale commercial duckweed-based fish farm.

Brainwaves Co-PI Dr Dylan Gwynn Jones was a member of an expert panel on ‘The Science of Climate Change’ held during a one-day AberClimate Symposium “Loss, Damage, Renewal” on the 18th October. The symposium was part of a special week-long festival showcasing the breadth of Aberystwyth University’s research, which focussed on key questions and potential solutions to the global climate and ecological crisis http://aber.ac.uk/researchfest 

The National Dairy Show is Ireland’s premier indoor agricultural event; the place where dairy farmers and dairy industries do meet. This year’s meeting took place in the evening of October 20th and 21st, 2021, and was organised as a virtual event, as a result on the ongoing Covid19 crisis.

The on-line event covered a full range of topics relevant for the dairy industry, covering everything from innovation and machinery, to cattle breeding, sward-care, animal welfare and finance. Two critical areas for discussion related to the relationship between dairy farming and the environment. Discussions emphasised the complex relationship between climate change and dairy farming, and between slurry and the environment. 

Lotti joined the Brainwaves team at Aberystwyth University as a technician for the summer of 2021 to assist with the outdoor duckweed systems. We bid her a fond farewell and wish her the best of luck with the rest of her studies in the BSc in Plant Biology course at Aberystwyth University. 

Lotti left us with a short inspirational overview as to why she had to know more about the humble duckweed.

Thanks to all who came by to visit our outdoor stand at Culture Night at the Old Cork Waterworks Experience and chatted to our research scientists. Great engagement and interest in the project on a fine sunny September evening! 

Some fine poets have graced the shores of Ireland and here on the Brainwaves Project we are excited about this poem on Duckweed by our PI Professor Marcel Jansen.

Reflecting on his experience of working with this miracle plant Duckweed (Lemna minor) over the course of his career, he has created a wonderful short poem on the benefits of the humble duckweed plant.

Enjoy.

A 3rd year AU Plant Biology student Lotti did work on duckweed growth during her year in industry and is joining the AU team as a technician for the summer.  

Lotti grew up in West Sussex and started her BSc in Plant Biology at Aberystwyth University in September 2018. Her interest in plants grew when she joined her local Young Farmers club in 2016 and from there she increasingly felt that it was her mission to highlight the importance of plants to mitigate global climate change impacts. Having completed her year in industry at Aberystwyth University assisting on the Brainwaves project she now joins for the summer as a technician. She hopes to continue onto a research masters in Controlled Environment Agriculture after finishing her BSc in 2022. 

As part of our work on Brainwaves we will be using polytunnels to develop an affordable system for growing duckweed. The use of polytunnels will extend the growing season, optimising biomass production and maximising the water remediation capacity. Recently re-covered, our polytunnel at Aberystwyth University, is now ready for our first prototype system to be installed and tested.

We were delighted to welcome Professor Ed Byrne, the Chair Professor of Process & Chemical Engineering to our lab in BEES recently! Ed advised our team on system flow rates and experimental design for our duckweed tank.

This year's EU Green Week runs from 31st May to 4th June 2021.