Merging Maine’s forest past and forest future, Saturday, August 11, 2007 – Bangor Daily News
By Professor Stephen Shaler
Merging Maine’s forest past and forest future (pdf file)
Dr. van Heiningen
Professor of Chemical Engineering
Research Interests
Fundamental chemical engineering aspects of pulp production and forest biomass conversion processes; in particular those of pulping, bleaching, recovery of pulping chemicals, and production of biomaterials and biofuels.
My work is interdisciplinary, and strives to integrate a chemical mechanistic approach with that of transport phenomena, mass balances and an overall process concept.
FBRI Interview: 08/02/07
http://efolio.umeedu.maine.edu/~tvassiliev/FBRI/Investigators/vanHeiningen.m4a
Bangor Daily News Article 07/26/07
Dr. van Heiningen, FBRI Professors | Comment (0)Dr. Donahue
Professor of Chemical & Biological Engineering: Coordinator of Biological Engineering Program Chemical & Biological Engineering
FBRI Research:
The use of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) could maximize the productivity of the forest bio-products process by aiding the separation of output woody biomass. NIRS and chemometric techniques could eventually be used online as a process control tool for the forest bio-product process.
FBRI Interview: 08/02/07
http://efolio.umeedu.maine.edu/~tvassiliev/FBRI/Investigators/Donahue.m4a
Dr. Donahue, FBRI Professors | Comment (0)Dr. Benjamin
Assistant Professor of Forest Operations
Current Research Interests:
Supply Chain Management within Forest Industry
specific focus given to:
- link between forest / stand production and final product quality
- analysis of transportation systems in forest industry
- harvesting system selection
FBRI Interview July 31, 2007
http://efolio.umeedu.maine.edu/~tvassiliev/FBRI/Investigators/Benjamin.m4a
Dr. Benjamin, FBRI Professors | Comment (0)Dr. Gardner
Professor of Wood Science and Technology: Cooperating Research Professor in the Lobster Institute
School of Forest Resources
| Polymer Science | Wood Chemistry | Polymer Processing |
| Wood Adhesion and Adhesives | Interfacing of Wood-FRP Hybrids | Bonding of Wood-Plastic Composites |
| VOC Collection and Analysis of Composi | ||
FBRI Interview, July 30, 2007
http://efolio.umeedu.maine.edu/~tvassiliev/FBRI/Investigators/Gardner.m4a
Dr. Gardner, FBRI Professors | Comment (0)Dr. Mason
Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Chemical & Biological Engineering
Research:
Nanoprobe Design and Optimization for Biological/Materials Applications
Passive and reactive molecular and quantum dot (metallic and semiconductor) nanoprobes, generally referred to as fluors, have shown great promise as localized reporters in a range of in vitro biochemical and materials systems. The individual fluor represents the highest possible spatial resolution for chemical processes within a sample. However, in order to achieve sufficient signal-to-noise for single fluor imaging/spectroscopy in complicated materials and biological systems, where the main source of signal is often from background radiation, nanoprobes must be specifically designed taking into account their intrinsic photophysics as well as any potential influences of the system of interest. A broad range of techniques are being employed with the eventual goal of controlling photophysical processes of fluors such as photo-stability, excited state dynamics (i.e. lifetime and triplet dynamics), conformational fluctuations in absorption and emission properties, and environmental (chemical) sensitivity and specificity.
FBRI Interview July 30, 2007
http://efolio.umeedu.maine.edu/~tvassiliev/FBRI/Investigators/Mason.m4a
Dr. Mason, FBRI Professors | Comment (0)Dr. Jellison
Professor of Biological Sciences
Cooperating Prof. of Microbiology
Cooperating Professor of Forest Ecosystem Sciences
Research Interests:
Our laboratory focuses on the physiology, molecular biology and ecology of wood degrading fungi. We work primarily with the brown rot fungi. These organisms are an important component of nutrient cycling in coniferous forests and are economically significant because of their ability to attack and degrade wood products. Brown rot fungi are also potentially of interest in biotechnological applications including bioremediation and bioproducts design.
On-going Projects:
The laboratory currently has funded projects in the following areas:
- Metal transport and toxicity in the brown rot fungi.
- The production of the enyzmes cellobiose dehydrogenase and benzoquinone reductase by wood inhabiting fungi.Wood modification by brown rot fungi – chemical characterization studies
- Detection and characterization of wood biodegradation using molecular analysis
- Role of fungi in biotransformation and nutrient cycling in the forest ecosystem:
FBRI Interview July 20,2007
http://efolio.umeedu.maine.edu/~tvassiliev/FBRI/Investigators/Jellison.m4a
Dr. Jellison, FBRI Professors | Comment (0)Dr. Weiping Ban
Post Doctoral with Dr. Heiningen
Hemicelluloses Pre-Extration Modified Pulping
- Improve pulping yield
- Decrease alkali consumption
- Reduce organic & inorganic load to recovery
- Increased delignification rate
- Improve properties of pulp
http://efolio.umeedu.maine.edu/~tvassiliev/FBRI/Investigators/Ban.m4a
Dr. Ban (Postdoctoral Researcher), FBRI Professors | Comment (0)Dr. Doug Bousfield
Professor of Chemical Engineering; Pulp and Paper Foundation Professor
Chemical & Biological Engineering
RESEARCH:
Dr. Bousfield’s research is directed at the application of fluid mechanics and rheology to industrial processes such as paper coating, paper web formation, printing, bubble coalescence, filtration, flotation, and polymeric film coating. Emphasis is placed on the development of simplified models to represent specific processes and the verification of these models with experiments. A number of novel experimental tools have been built to show the important mechanisms of various processes. Several unique areas have emerged in this effort understanding these processes.
http://efolio.umeedu.maine.edu/~tvassiliev/FBRI/Investigators/Bousfield.m4a
Dr. Bousfield, FBRI Professors | Comment (0)Dr. Jessica Leahy
Assistant Professor of Parks, Recreation & Tourism
Specializations and Research Interests:
Outdoor Recreation Policy and Planning:
- Benefits-Based Management
- Social Capital & Trust
- Citizen Participation
- Gateway Communities
Environmental Interpretation and Education
http://efolio.umeedu.maine.edu/~tvassiliev/FBRI/Investigators/JessicaLeahy.m4a
Dr. Leahy, FBRI Professors | Comment (0)Dr. Shaler, faculty member in the Advanced Engineered Wood Composites Center
Dr. Steve Shaler
Professor of Wood Science and Technology
Associate Director, Advanced Engineered Wood Composites (AEWC)
143 AEWC
University of Maine
Orono, ME 04469
Current Research Interests:
- Composite materials
- Optical methods in experimental mechanics
- Recycled wood/polymer interfacial behavior
- Modeling of structure property relations
Faculty member in the Advanced Engineered Wood Composites Center
FBRI Interview 07/18/07
http://efolio.umeedu.maine.edu/~tvassiliev/FBRI/Investigators/shaler.m4a
Dr. Neivandt U. Maine Department Chemical & Biological Engineering
Dr. David Neivandt
Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering
Chemical & Biological Engineering
Jenness Hall319
Research: Cellulose Based Substrates for Interfacial Adsorption Studies This project is aimed at the development of cellulose based substrates which may be probed spectroscopically by both linear and non-linear optical techniques. The optimized substrates will be employed to elucidate interfacial adsorption on cellulosic surfaces in systems relevant to the pulp and paper industry.
Picture from UMaine Today 04/04
FBRI Interview 07/18/07
http://efolio.umeedu.maine.edu/~tvassiliev/FBRI/Investigators/Neivandt.m4a
Dr. Neivandt, FBRI Professors | Comment (0)Sara Walton Ph.D. Candidate
Sara Walton works with Dr. Adriaan R. P. van Heiningen Professor of Chemical Engineering
Their IFPR (Integrated Forest Products Refinery) work focuses on the production of polymers and biofuels from hemicelluloses extracted from wood chips before they are used for pulp production. The rational for the IFPR is twofold. First, the US pulp and paper industry needs new income to remain viable with the emergence of very large and technologically advanced mills in tropical countries which also have advantages in terms of wood and labor cost. Since US mills already have environmental permits and the infrastructure to handle forest biomass material, the integrated production of high value-added biofuels and new biomaterials from waste streams would lead to competitive synergies, new markets and increased product flexibility. Secondly, fossil-fuel CO2 emissions and foreign fossil fuel dependence must be reduced. Managed forests have enormous untapped potential as a carbon neutral resource for renewable and biodegradable materials.
FBRI Interview 07/18/07
http://efolio.umeedu.maine.edu/~tvassiliev/FBRI/Investigators/SaraWalton.m4a
FBRI Professors, Sara Walton (Ph.D. Candidate) | Comment (0)Interview With Dr. Fort & Dr. Cole
University of Maine
Chemistry Department
Research:
Overall Themes of Our Projects: the ultimate goal of our research is to develop the fundamental chemistry needed to produce new value-added products from wood. To this end, we are participants in the Maine Forest Bioproducts Research Institute, funded by the National Science Foundation. We also want to facilitate the “greening” of the processing of wood into these products and the traditional use: paper. This means we seek to use environmentally benign reagents and processes….
More – http://chemistry.umeche.maine.edu/Fort/Cole-Fort.html
Interview July 16, 2007
http://efolio.umeedu.maine.edu/~tvassiliev/FBRI/Investigators/FortCole.m4a
