
Victor Leshyk
Victor is the founder of Azolla Biodesign. As a scientific artist, designer, and presenter, he has more than 20 years’ experience working with major museums, scientific journals, national labs, universities, publishers, and researchers worldwide. As a concept artist and illustrator, he contributes to research works, exhibit design, science video, interactive and educational outreach, and provides professional voiceover for television and film. His works can be found in National Parks, natural history museums, and accompanying science journalism across many subjects, from basic research in genomics and ecology to applied engineering, medicine, and sustainability. Currently, he is the Director of Science and Art at the Center for Ecosystem Science and Society at Northern Arizona University, working with top researchers in climate and carbon cycle modeling as well as nutrient cycling, permafrost, wildfire, and microbial ecology as related to climate change and society. He presents and speaks at diverse venues to promote a philosophy of art that increases science literacy.
Talking Points

LOCATION: Sedona, AZ, USA
SKILLS: Biological Sciences , Design, Fabrication, and Applied Arts, Graphic Communications, Public Speaking and Outreach, Advertising, and Applied Communication , Data Visualization
EDUCATION: Biological Sciences , Design, Fabrication, and Applied Arts, Graphic Communications, Public Speaking and Outreach, Advertising, and Applied Communication , Data Visualization
WEBSITES: paleovista.com, victorleshyk.com
AZOLLA
Friends and
Affiliates

Dr. Jonathan Bujak
Dr. Bujak is a paleontologist with 50 years’ experience, specializing in past and future climate change. He co-discovered the 49-million-year-old Arctic Azolla Event during the 2005 Arctic Coring Expedition and became intrigued by azolla’s potential as a formally designated unique superorganism to sequester atmospheric CO2. He therefore set up the Azolla Foundation and Azolla Biosystems Ltd in 2012 to disseminate information about azolla and implement its potential to mitigate today’s climate change.
Talking Points

AZOLLA INTERESTS: Azolla as a deep-past climate influence (Azolla Event), Azolla in agriculture, biofuel, water purification, space exploration and life support, carbon sequestration and environmental remediation / environmental justice
LOCATION: Blackpool, United Kingdom
AFFILIATIONS: Canadian Association of Palynologists Founding Member, The Azolla Foundation Founder, Azolla Biosystems Ltd CEO, Bujak Research International CEO
EDUCATION: Sheffield University PhD Palaeontology/palynology, Sheffield University BSc hons, Geology
SKILLS: Atmospheric Sciences , Geological and Earth Sciences, Oceanography, Plant Sciences, Sustainability Assessment, Sustainability Management, Sustainability Strategy


Lexy Bujak
Alexandra Bujak is an Environmental Scientist who has studied and published on azolla for more than 15 years and released ‘The Azolla Story’ in December 2020, Lexy set up the Azolla Foundation & Azolla Biosystems Ltd after graduation to promote azolla’s many uses, including carbon capture and storage, biofertilizer, animal fodder, biofuel, and water purification. She is working with Azolla Biodesign to help the global transition to sustainability by incorporating azolla into current and future technologies.
Talking Points

AZOLLA INTERESTS: Azolla as a deep-past climate influence (Azolla Event), Azolla in agriculture, biofuel, water purification, space exploration and life support, carbon sequestration and environmental remediation / environmental justice
LOCATION: Blackpool, United Kingdom
AFFILIATIONS: Azolla Biosystems CEO/Founder
SKILLS: Biological Sciences , Geological and Earth Sciences, Soil Science and Agronomy , Sustainability Assessment, Sustainability Management, Sustainability Strategy

Timo Stadtlander
Timo is a senior researcher at the Institute of Organic Agriculture in Switzerland focussing on animal nutrition (especially fish), nutrient cycling, organic and sustainable aquaculture and fish welfare.
Talking Points

AZOLLA INTERESTS: Working with Azolla Biodesign on azolla-duckweed co-culture concepts, Timo brings expertise working with duckweed as a high-performance phytoremediator of animal waste in experimental aquaculture systems, as well as a means for biomass carbon sequestration.
LOCATION: Frick, Switzerland
EDUCATION: University of Bremen Dipl. Biol. (MSc)
SKILLS: Animal Sciences, Natural Resources Research, Research
WEBSITE: www.fibl.org/en EMAIL: timo.stadtlander@fibl.org


Dr. Bruce Hungate
Bruce Hungate conducts research on microbial ecology of global change from the cell to the planet. He uses a variety of research tools, including empirical experiments, molecular biology, meta-analysis and modeling, and stable isotopes. His work examines the imprint of the diversity of life on the cycling of elements, how ecosystems respond to and shape environmental change, and microbial ecology of the biosphere, from soils to hot springs to humans.
Talking Points

AZOLLA INTERESTS: As a carbon accounting expert working between field experiments, carbon cycle modeling, and stable isotope methods to study soil microbial metabolism, Dr. Hungate offers a systems biology view of optimizing azolla as a means for biomass carbon sequestration.
LOCATION: Flagstaff AZ, USA
EDUCATION: Stanford University BS, Biological Sciences, Stanford University BA, Music and English

Dr. Kliti Grice
Kliti Grice is an internationally renowned organic geochemist. She has a PhD from the University of Bristol UK and is a Professor of Organic and Isotope Geochemistry at Curtin University (Perth, Australia) and is the Founding Director of WA-Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre. A Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, she has mentored more than 38 PhD scholars and published over 220 international journal publications.
Talking Points

AZOLLA INTERESTS: Dr Grice’s interests in azolla include examining the microbial community, geochemistry, and water conditions that foster giant spontaneous “blooms” of azolla colonies in the environment
LOCATION: Perth, Western Australia


Dr. Richard Rushforth
Dr. Rushforth is a data scientist with a background in environmental science, specializing in tracing carbon, energy, cost, and water footprints for industry and agriculture. His work was the foundation for the ambitious FEWSION project (https://fewsion.us/about/), an interactive tool for mapping supply chains as well as food, energy, and water networks across the US to assist with optimization, sustainability, and risk assessment
Talking Points

AZOLLA INTERESTS: Helping Azolla Biodesign to envision and calculate viable carbon, energy, and water footprints as well as supply chains and Life Cycle Analyses to support designed environment uses for azolla in remediation and agriculture.
LOCATION: Phoenix AZ, USA
EDUCATION: Stanford University BS, Biological Sciences, Stanford University BA, Music and English

Alan Marshall
As a retired medical professional, Alan has designed and operated productive greywater systems using azolla for many years to support his sustainable homestead in Tasmania. As a citizen-scientist, he has generously shared observations and records to assist design concepts
Talking Points

AZOLLA INTERESTS: Azolla cultivation for greywater treatment.
LOCATION: Hobart, Australia

CONTRIBUTING
Azolla TEAM MEMBERs
Hridya Viday

AZOLLA INTERESTS: As a doctoral student supporting Dr. Grice’s work with azolla, Hridya works with lab mesocosms using recovered sediments to cultivate azolla harvested from spontaneous “blooms” in the field.
Kara Gibson

AZOLLA INTERESTS: As a soil researcher, doctoral student, and science artist, Kara supports experimental reporting and calculations underlying our current projects and concepts.
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