Pepsy M. Kettavong is the inventor, co-founder, and CEO of Smart Seawall Technologies, a climate-resilient infrastructure company advancing next-generation shoreline protection. His patented invention, the Smart Seawall®, uses sculptural engineered geometry to deflect destructive wave energy while supporting ecological restoration and long-term coastal resilience. The system is currently evolving through collaboration with world-renowned biomaterials experts to develop next-generation materials expected to reduce embodied carbon by up to 80% compared to traditional concrete seawalls.

As a refugee from Laos, Pepsy M. Kettavong grew up believing deeply in the harmony between humanity and nature. With a background in public sculpture and architecture, he has created civic installations such as Let’s Have Tea and Reflecting, and worked as a designer on Rochester’s iconic Mushroom House. Through this work, he developed a deep understanding of geometry — how form and structure shape force, and how thoughtful design can endure across generations.