she began printing tools for her research using the lab's 3D printer. Strain specializes in studying algae and the way they move. Her first attempt at biodegradable beads were algae-based.

These efforts started in Dr. Naohiro Kato’s lab, where the professor began the work of producing Mardi Gras beads from microscopic algae in 2021. His goal was to get the beads to decompose in ...