Dr. Teri Watson is an architectural designer, material researcher, and founder of YEN Studio, a research-driven design practice focused on transforming ecological waste into resilient building systems. With over a decade of professional experience in traditional architectural practice, her work has evolved into a hybrid model integrating material science and marine ecology to address coastal waste through architectural innovation. Dr. Watson holds a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies and a Master of Architecture and recently earned a Doctorate of Design, where her research investigates the use of invasive marine biomass as a cementitious material for both building applications and shoreline stabilization. Through laboratory testing, scientific diving, and prototyping, her work bridges architecture and environmental systems to address sea level rise, embodied carbon, and infrastructure vulnerability in coastal communities.