On August 4, 2025, Mérida, Yucatán, will host the Forum on Technological Innovation Applied to Sargassum, a multidisciplinary event aimed at tackling the environmental and economic challenges posed by massive sargassum influxes along Mexico’s coasts. Organized by the Secretariat of Science, Humanities, Technology, and Innovation (Secihti), the forum will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Software Technology Institute in Colonia México. Admission is free.
The event brings together academia, government, industry, and civil society to explore sustainable solutions for managing sargassum, a macroalgae whose proliferation has disrupted marine ecosystems and tourism across the Caribbean. The program includes a keynote lecture, student project presentations from the Center for Scientific Research of Yucatán (CICY), and a panel discussion featuring experts in marine biotechnology, circular economy, and technology transfer.
Among the highlighted innovations is a patent-pending chemical process developed by CICY researcher Karla Azcorra May to convert sargassum into biogas. Another initiative, led by Beatriz Escobar Morales, focuses on transforming the algae into biochar for renewable energy applications.
Speakers will also address the ecological risks of improper sargassum handling, including dermatitis, damage to turtle nesting grounds, and disruption of seagrass beds. The forum emphasizes that while sargassum can absorb heavy metals and serve as a marine habitat, its unchecked accumulation reflects broader environmental imbalances.
As sargassum becomes a “new normal” in the Caribbean, the forum aims to reframe the crisis as an opportunity for innovation, collaboration, and ecological resilience.
Source: CICY
