Climate innovation fellow tackles soil health project
Audrey Welsh works on a research project to improve soil health using kelp and glacial silt in Alaska.
March 25, 2026
By Yuri Bult-Ito
Since joining ACEP last September as a climate innovation fellow through the Alaska Fellows Program, Audrey Welsh has been tackling an innovative research project aimed at improving soil health using two resources abundant in Alaska — kelp and glacial silt.
Soil amendments, which are materials added to soil to enhance its ability to support plant growth, are the focus of Welsh’s work. Kelp and glacial silt both capture atmospheric carbon; kelp through photosynthesis and glacial silt through a natural process known as enhanced weathering, where minerals in the silt break down into soil over time.
The goal of Welsh’s project is to develop a soil amendment that not only helps capture carbon but also improves soil quality.
Welsh’s involvement in the project requires everything from literature review and experimental design to greenhouse trials and community engagement.
“What's most impressive about Audrey is how naturally she has stepped into the full scope of the research process,” said Gwen Holdmann, who heads the project. “She asks thoughtful questions, embraces ambiguity and follows through with care and rigor.”
Welsh is coordinating the project in partnership with the University of Alaska Fairbanks Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and collaborators in Cordova, Alaska.
Welsh’s path to this project began with a passion for chemistry, leading her to earn a degree in environmental studies and chemistry from Middlebury College in Vermont. There, she focused on making complex chemical compounds using safer chemicals and more recyclable materials to convert fuel into electricity. She also worked on securing long-term state funding for food hubs in Vermont.
A friend took a photo of Audrey Welsh spreading her arms in excitement to ski in -20F on the University of Alaska Fairbanks Troth Yeddha’ campus in December 2025, capturing her as if she were holding up a power line.
Although her research is centered on soil science, Welsh’s curiosity extends beyond the lab.
“I’m working in soil research now, but I’ve always been fascinated by energy solutions,” she said, adding that she hopes to continue studying renewable energy chemistry in graduate school.
In addition to her research, Welsh, a Maine native, is quickly making herself at home in Fairbanks. An avid Nordic skier, she has found the city to be the perfect place to embrace her love for the sport. She also enjoys ballet and baking and hopes to take up skijoring.