What if one of the biggest threats to kelp forests could help bring them back to life?
That question has helped a University of Tasmania team win the Outstanding Science Prize at the 2025 Biodesign Sprint: Ocean Futures, a global competition that brings together science, design and creativity to tackle environmental challenges.
The project was developed by University of Tasmania design students Mr David Dal Busco and Ms Shannon Terry, with academic leadership from Dr Vanessa Ward in the School of Architecture and Design, and in collaboration with Dr Masayuki Tatsumi from Sea Forest.
ReURCHIN turns discarded sea urchin shells into biodegradable reef structures that help kelp regrow on damaged seabeds, turning a marine menace into a potential tool for ecological repair.
To read the full article and watch a video, click the link below: From pest to possibility: designers turn sea urchin waste into kelp forest fix | University of Tasmania
