Ling Li

Assistant Professor of Sustainable Bioenergy Systems
School of Forest Resources

Dr. Ling Li joined SFR in September 2018 as an Assistant Professor of Sustainable Bioenergy Systems.  Before joining SFR, Dr. Li worked as a Research Scientist at the Wood Science and Technology Center, the University of New Brunswick, Canada. Her research areas in SFR are below:

  • Innovative technologies to improve the energy efficiency of energy-intensive wood industry and timber-based building sector;
  • Advanced carbon-neutral bioproducts, such as engineered wood products and mass timber panel products;
  • Numerical analysis of hydrothermal behavior of wood and engineered wood products; and
  • Utilization of sustainable and renewable biomass as bioenergy resources.

Expertise

Li’s research focuses on the wood-water relations and forestry-based biomass utilization. Her research interests include hydrothermal behavior of wood and engineered wood products, solid biomass fuels (pellets, briquettes, firewood), environmental impacts of biomass combustion. Current research includes using biochar to increase soil moisture and improve wild blueberries’ resilience to drought, and exploring the potential for biochar as a PFAS remediation tool.

Appointment details

Li’s work is supported by:

  • School of Forest Resources at the College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences
  • Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station

Experiment Station contributions

  • Current project: Tackling current issues related to vapor/gas sorption and diffusion in wood drying, mass timber panel products, and biomass energy. McIntire-Stennis project number ME042205.

Refereed Journal publications:

  1. Li, L., Zhang, Y.-J., Novak, A., Yang, Y., and Wang, J. (2021). Role of Biochar in Improving Sandy Soil Water Retention and Resilience to Drought. Water,  13, 407.
  2. Zhu, W., Gong, M., Chui, Y.-H., & Li, L. (2021). Improved fastening designs for bridge decks made of mechanically-laminated timber. Construction and Building Materials, 266, 121166.
  3. Yuan B., Li L., Murugadoss V., Vupputuri S., Wang J., Alikhani N., Guo Z., Nanocellulose-based composite materials for wastewater treatment and waste-oil remediation, ES Food & Agroforestry, 2020, 1:41-52.
  4. Alikhani, N., Li, L., Wang, J., Dewar, D., & Tajvidi, M. (2020). Exploration of Membrane-based Dehumidification System to Improve the Energy Efficiency of Kiln Drying Processes: Part 1 Factors that Affect Moisture Removal Efficiency. Wood and Fiber Science: Journal of the Society of Wood Science and Technology, Vol.52, pp.313-325.
  5. Olayemi O., Gong M., Chui Y., Li L., Flexural properties of downscaled dowel-type-fastener laminated timber, Interna. J. Sci. Research Multidisc. Studies., 2019, 5(11): 98-104.
  6. Gong M., Li L., & Chui Y., 2019. Evaluation of bond strength of cross-laminated LSL specimens under short-span bending, Holzforschung, 73(8), pp. 789-795.
  7. M. Gong and L. Li. 2018. Breakeven point in ultimate thickness between moisture-reduced shrinkage and thickness recovery of densified softwood species Part 1: At room temperature. Wood and Fiber Science, 50(4), pp: 1-8.
  8. M. Gong, S.Z. Rao, and L. Li. 2017. Effects of machining parameters on the surface roughness of joints in manufacturing of structural finger-joined lumber. Journal of Forestry Engineering 2(4), pp:10-18.
  9. L. Li, M. Gong, Y.H. Chui, and Y. Liu. 2016. Modelling of the cupping of two-layer laminated densified wood products subjected to moisture and temperature fluctuations: Model application. Journal of Wood Science and Technology. 50(1), pp: 39-51.
  10. L. Li, M. Gong, Y.H. Chui, and Y. Liu. 2016. Modelling of the cupping of two-layer laminated densified wood products subjected to moisture and temperature fluctuations: model development. Journal of Wood Science and Technology. 50(1), pp: 23-37.
  11. L. Li, M. Gong, Y.H. Chui, and M. Schneider. 2014. A MATLAB-based image processing algorithm for analyzing cupping profiles of two-layer laminated wood products. Measurement. 53, pp: 234-239.
  12. Y. Liu, M. Gong, L. Li, and Y.H. Chui. 2014. Width effect on the modulus of elasticity of hardwood lumber measured by non-destructive evaluation techniques. Construction and Building Materials. 50, pp: 276-280.
  13. L. Li, M. Gong, Y.H. Chui, M. Schneider, and D.G. Li. 2013. Measurement of the elastic parameters of densified balsam fir wood in the radial-tangential plane using a digital image correlation (DIC) method. Journal of Materials Science. 48(21), pp: 7728-7735.
  14. L. Li, M. Gong, N.X. Yuan, and D.G. Li. 2013. An optimal thermo-hydro-mechanical densification (THM) Process for densifying balsam fir wood. BioResources. 8(3), pp: 3967-3981.
  15. L. Li, M. Gong, and D.G. Li. 2013. Evaluation of the kinetic friction performance of modified wood decking products. Construction and Building Materials. 40, pp: 863-868.
  16. M. Gong, S. Delahunty, Y.H. Chui, and L. Li. 2013. Use of low-grade hardwoods for fabricating laminated railway ties. Construction and Building Materials. 41, pp: 73-78.

Refereed conference publications:

L. Li, M. Gong, Y.H. Chui, and M. Schneider. Measurement of the elastic parameters of densified balsam fir using a digital image correlation method. Forest Products Society Eastern Canadian Section Annual Meeting: The global network for forest products professionals, May 29-30, 2013, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.

L. Li, N. Alikhani, J, Wang, and M. Tajvidi, “Assessment of energy-saving by using a membrane-based thermal energy recovery system to improve the energy efficiency of kiln drying processes”, 2020 International Society of Wood Science and Technology (SWST) Convention (Virtual conference).

N. Alikhani, L. Li, D. Bousfield, J. Wang, and M. Tajvidi, “Modeling of moisture separation process of a membrane-based dehumidification system with an application in an energy saving of wood drying processes”, 2020 Forest Products Society (FPS) International Conference (Virtual conference).

N. Alikhani, D. Dewar, L. Li, J. Wang, M. Tajvidi, and D. Bousfield, “Membrane-based thermal energy recovery system to improve the energy efficiency of kiln drying processes”, 2019 International Society of Wood Science and Technology (SWST) Convention, Yosemite National Park, CA, US, October 20-25, 2019.

D. Dewar, L. Li, and N. Alikhani, “Development of a membrane-based thermal energy recovery system for wood drying kiln”, 2019 Fall Interdisciplinary Research Symposium, Valparaiso University.

L. Li and M. Gong. Finite element analysis on the rolling shear modulus of three-layer cross-laminated timber (CLT) specimens using various materials as outer layers. IUFRO 2017 Division 5 Conference & SWST 60th International Convention, June 12-16, 2017, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

M. Gong, Y. H. Chui, and L. Li. Evaluation of adhesive bond strength of two-layer asymmetric cross-laminated LSL specimens, 14th World Conference on Timber Engineering (WCTE), August 22-25, 2016, Vienna, Austria.

M. Gong, D.Y. Tu, L. Li, and Y.H. Chui. Planar shear properties of hardwood cross-layer in hybrid cross-laminated timber. Proceedings of 5th International Scientific Conference on Hardwood, International Academy of Wood Science, September 15-17, 2015, Quebec, Quebec, Canada.

Areas of Expertise

Bioproducts
Clean And Renewable Energy
Forests
Irrigation
Soils
Wild Blueberries

Education

Ph.D., Forest Engineering, University of New Brunswick
B.S., Wood Science & Technology, Nanjing Forestry University

Courses

SFR 450: Processing of Biomaterials
SFR 455: Bioenergy Sources, Systems, and Environmental Effects
Photo of Ling Li
Assistant Professor of Sustainable Bioenergy Systems