Seaweed Science

It was great to welcome back MCS former pupil Tom Brine (OW 2018) this week and learn more about his pioneering work as a product developer at Kelpi – an award-winning biotechnology start-up working to use seaweed to replace fossil fuel plastics.

During a fascinating talk for the Oxfordshire Schools STEM Forum – also attended by pupils from three partner schools – Tom explained that by 2040 it is estimated there will be 40 trillion pieces of plastic in our oceans. Kelpi’s mission is to ‘turn the tide’ on the problem, combining cutting-edge chemistry with natural resources to come up with alternatives to plastic packaging.

Joining Kelpi in 2025, Tom works as part of a team developing seaweed packaging, to serve sectors as varied as beauty to the spirits industry to supermarkets.

It was inspiring to hear Tom’s journey from school to studying Natural Sciences at Cambridge and a Master’s degree in Plant Sciences – and for our keen scientists to see the potential path between their studies and next-generation plastic solutions. Interestingly, after initially wanting to pursue biochemistry, Tom’s interest in plant science was sparked by a single photograph of an elephant in its natural habitat, showing how curiosity can lead to unexpected and exciting career paths. And his approach – to study what you love and what you’re good at – was great advice for pupils.

Thank you Tom and keep in touch!