2019 Cellulose Nanomaterial Researchers Forum
Over 100 guests and speakers converged at the University of Maine in August to learn more about cellulose nanomaterials. Cellulose nanomaterials – or nanocellulose – are of global interest as these materials provide unique properties, are renewable and sustainably sourced. Applications range from paper packaging, composites, coatings, biomedical structures, tissue engineering, cement, food ingredients, drug delivery and more.
The two-day event featured:
- Keynote speakers addressed growing product opportunities for cellulose nanomaterials.
- Michael Goergen, VP, Innovation and Director, P3Nano, U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities – “Beyond Nano: Why Tiny Bits of Trees Make a Big Difference for Forests”
- Robert Moon, Materials Research Engineer, U.S. Forest Service, Forest Products Lab – “Cellulose Nanomaterials: New Materials Enabling New Product Platforms”
- UMaine researchers shared updates on their work towards developing applications for paper, packaging, composites, cement and biomedical applications.
- Medhi Tajvidi, Associate Professor of Renewable Nanomaterials, School of Forest Resources
- Habib Dagher, Director of Advanced Structured Composites Center, BIW Professor of Structural Engineering
- Eric Landis, Frank M. Taylor Professor of Civil Engineering
- Doug Bousfield, Director of Paper Surface Science Program, Calder Professor of Chemical Engineering
- Lu Wang, Post-Doctoral research Associate, School of Forest Resources
- Hemant Pendse, Director of Forest Bioproduct Research Institute, Professor and Chair of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
- Balunkeswar Nayak, Associate Professor of Food Processing, School of Food and Agriculture
- Caitlin Howell, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering
- Doug Gardner, Professor of Forest Operations and Bioenergy
- Will Gramlich, Associate Professor of Chemistry
- Student Poster Session on a wide variety of projects including cellulose nanomaterials, biomaterials, and forestry.
- Invited speakers from other universities shared projects within their research programs exploring cellulose nanomaterials.
- You-Lo Hseih, Distinguished Professor & Chair, Textiles and Clothing, University of California – Davis
- Alper Kiziltas, Research Scientist, Ford Motor Company
- Nathalie Lavoine, Assistant Professor, North Carolina State University
- Chris Luettgen, Professor and Director of Renewable Bioproduct Institute, Georgia Institute of Technology