Dr. Wouter Visch is a Researcher and Lecturer at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies. In his research, Dr. Visch’s applies fundamental knowledge related to seaweed biology to improve cultivation and restoration of various seaweed species, primarily the large brown kelps. Wouter combines both field and lab experiments, and applies fundamental research findings from seaweed biology to develop a sustainable seaweed aquaculture industry.

Before joining The University of Tasmania in early 2020, Wouter completed his PhD at The University of Gothenburg, researching sustainable cultivation methods for kelp aquaculture in Sweden. More specifically he focused on the effect of seaweed farming on ecosystem services, environmental impact, site selection, and method development for selective breeding. Prior his PhD, Wouter worked at the Seaweed Centre of The Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), where he conducted research related to the ecophysiology of various brown, green, and red seaweed species in a tank-based cultivation system aimed at human consumption.