For the year 2023, Ísponica and Sveppasmiðja were funded two summer research projects through the Rannís Student Innovation Fund. Sammie was one of our research assistants.

“My name is Sammie and I am a 28-year-old Filipino student in Iceland. I was part of the research program organized and conducted by Sveppasmiðja and Ísponica. My co-researcher and I spent a month in Borgarnes to learn and study mushroom cultivation with Sveppasmiðja. Then we spent a month in Hólar to learn and study about the feasibility of establishing aquaponics system in Iceland. The research was perhaps the best summer of my life. We spent our days in nature, looking for mushrooms and trying to clone and grow them, and we learned so much about aquaponics! After our work hours we spent the rest of the day swimming, exploring nature, and cooking our harvested mushrooms. It gave me the opportunity to explore and rekindle my love for agriculture and nature! I am currently studying Icelandic language at HÍ with the hopes to be able to learn enough Icelandic to be able to study agriculture in Iceland.”