This project aims to prevent further melting of Arctic ice through the creation of a bioengineered strain of glacial Cryobacterium that can uptake dissolved silicon, and biomineralize it into silica (glass), to increase the reflectivity of glaciers. This novel, environmentally-friendly solution will lead to an increase in reflectance that will alow the glaciers to recover over time and prevent devastating sea level rises that would occur due to climate change. 

Inspired by diatoms, a marine algae that synthesize glass and are reflective, I wanted to create an engineered form of an abundant glacial bacteria that could create glass in order to increase the reflectivity of the glaciers to prevent further melting and even allow the Arctic ice to recover.