SALT was partner and responsible for the outreach and dissemination of the large-scale research project OPTIMAKELP, which was launched in 2018. Through an interdisciplinary approach, the project investigates how seaweed and kelp resources in Norwegian waters can be harvested and managed in ways that ensure the preservation of the ecosystem services they provide, in a future marked by both climate and socioeconomic uncertainty.

OPTIMAKELP focuses on three main research areas in Norway during the project period: Vega, Frøya, and Hammerfest. As part of the outreach activities, SALT developed a two-day educational program for children and young people, primarily at lower secondary school level, called The Kelp Experience.
The aim of The Kelp Experience is to generate enthusiasm for seaweed and kelp as historical, contemporary, and future resources, while also providing students with insights into their harvesting and use. This includes learning about the incredible range of products that contain the algae component alginate, as well as knowledge of the biology of these marine plants and their role in the ecosystem.

The program also featured practical activities: one session where students prepared seaweed- and kelp-based dishes with guidance from a professional chef, and another where they produced short films together with a professional filmmaker.