Environmental Internship Program - 2023 Booklet

Martina Qua ’25
CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
PROJECT TITLE
Climate Resilient Food
Systems
ORGANIZATION(S)
Environmental Defense
Fund (EDF)
LOCATION(S)
Austin, Texas
MENTOR(S)
Karly Kelso,
Director, Climate Resilient
Food Systems, EDF
I worked on two projects with the Environmental
Defense Fund’s (EDF) Climate Resilient Food
Systems team. One goal was to bring more
attention to blue foods — aquatic plants and
animals — as they play crucial roles in providing
food and nutrition security worldwide. Blue
foods are often managed as natural resources to
be conserved, but it is important to view them
as food; aside from being nutritious, blue foods
are central to the livelihoods and economies of
many coastal communities. I created a database
to track the investments of donor countries and
multilateral organizations going into blue foods
that EDF can use to identify top funders and
advocate for more blue foods funding. I also did
research for a regenerative aquaculture project
in the Philippines that aims to raise seaweed
(Sargassum) with mussels to create an ecosystem
that stores carbon and will diversify livelihoods
in the community. Through online research
and interviews with community members
in the Philippines, I created a report on the
opportunities and potential alternative uses of
Sargassum in the community. Overall, I learned a
lot about aquatic food systems and developed my
online and in-person research skills.
FOOD SYSTEMS
AND HEALTH
61