Convenors: Jean-François Sassi (Saint-Paul-lès-Duranc), Kate Scardifield (Sydney)

Algal blooms are intensifying globally, driven by rising nutrient inputs and global warming. This is generating vast quantities of biomass that threaten aquatic ecosystems and coastal communities. This workshop sets out to connect fundamental research in marine science and algal biotechnology with transition design and materials innovation, investigating how algal blooms can be transformed from ecological burden into a bioregional opportunity. By linking the scientific study of bloom dynamics with the exploration of novel algae-based materials and systems transitions, the workshop aims to generate new insights into resource recovery, sustainable algae harvesting and future pathways for regional biomanufacturing.