SBIO @ Virginia Tech

Dr. Brian Bond, Professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Sustainable Biomaterials, recently conducted a training event for the Speyside Bourbon Cooperage, Inc. located in Atkins, VA. This training focused on maximizing the drying quality of wood barrel staves and headings. In attendance were personnel from operations in Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio. The course was organized in cooperation with Josh Chandler, Manager of Cooperage Production Operations, a CNRE FREC alumni. Speyside Bourbon Cooperage, Inc. has two stave mills and a cooperage located in Virginia and uses white oak as their primary raw material. Speyside Bourbon Cooperage, Inc. is a subsidiary of Tonnellerie Francois Freres, a global cooperage company based in Saint Romain, France and has locations on 5 continents with 1,043 employees. Learn more about them here: https://speysidebci.com/ #VirginiaTech #SBIO #SBIOandIndustry #Cooperage #IndustryTrainings #ContinuingEducation

The Department of Sustainable Biomaterials congratulates Dr. Robert Smith, professor emeritus in our department, for being named a Fellow in the Society of Wood Science and Technology (SWST) at its annual meeting held in Portoroz, Slovenia in July, 2024. The Fellow designation is in recognition of significant contributions to the wood science profession and service to the Society of Wood Science and Technology. Dr Smith has been a member of SWST for over 30 years and served in many leadership roles during his tenure. #VirginiaTech #SBIO #SBIOAlumni #SBIOandIndustry #SWST #SWSTConvention

SBIO’s Dr. Young Kim’s research on “Turning food waste into bioplastics” has recently been featured in VT news! The video linked here outlines his team’s effort to develop and demonstrate an affordable modular bioprocessing system that can help to produce biodegradable bioplastics from food waste. It is exciting to see SBIO undergraduate students to be involved in this project! Watch the video here: https://lnkd.in/eH74uuKu #VirginiaTech #SBIO #SBIOintheNews #SBIOandIndustry #Bioplastics #Sustainability

Several SBIO faculty and students have just returned from the Forest Products Society’s Annual International meeting held in Knoxville, TN. Virginia Tech was well represented, including our past President and the Dean, Dr. Paul Winistorfer! Our faculty, students and alumni were engaged in organizing and moderating sessions, giving oral presentations, presenting posters and participating in the Wood Bow. There was a very strong presence and interest in CLT, adhesives, circular economy/life cycle analysis, and wood identification. The importance of marketing was emphasized several times, including one of the keynote presentations on innovation in sustainable biomaterials. Next years’ conference is proposed to be held in conjunction with SWST in Fort Collins, CO. The meeting schedule can be found here, with links to the outlines of each session: https://lnkd.in/ex_iXM7p Congratulations to our faculty and students who did a great job representing VT at the conference! #VirginiaTech #SBIO #SBIOAlumni #SBIOandIndustry #ForestProductsSociety #FPS #SBIOandFPS

SBIO congratulates Dr. Brian Bond on being elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Woodwork Career Alliance of North America! “Bond, who is also Associate Dean for Extension, Outreach and Engagement at Virginia Tech, will serve as chairman for a one-year term. He has been a member of the WCA Board of Directors since 2009. Bond was instrumental in helping develop the format of the WCA Skill Standards, the core of the WCA’s Passport credentialing program. "The WCA is in good hands with Brian at the helm,” said Scott Nelson, president of the WCA. “Through his long-standing dedication to fostering excellence in woodworking education, Brian has been a valuable member of the WCA team and has helped us propel our mission forward.” Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/eKrRudsf #VirginiaTech #SBIO #SBIOIndustry #WCA #SBIOandWCA #BrianBond

SBIO congratulates Dr. Maren Roman for being a co-PI on a newly awarded National Science Foundation grant! She partnered with VT alumna and Florida A&M University Associate Professor Natalie Arnett for this NSF grant aimed at helping more African-American students obtain graduate degrees in STEM fields. According to the NSF, “The aim is to enable, build and grow partnerships … that increase recruitment, retention, and degree attainment by members of those groups most historically underrepresented in materials research, and at the same time support excellent research and education endeavors that strengthen such partnerships” Read the full VT news article about this grant award: https://lnkd.in/e-v6Mgi5 #VirginiaTech #SBIO #SBIOResearch #NSFGrants #STEMResearch #STEM

The SBIO department would like to congratulate Dr. Earl Kline on his retirement! Dr. Kline’s incredible contributions to sustainable biomaterials and his dedication to education at Virginia Tech are commendable. SBIO helped celebrate his accomplishments with a party last night! Best wishes as he embarks on this new chapter in his life. We hope it’s filled with both relaxation and adventure!

SBIO students recently presented their research posters at the Dennis Dean Undergraduate Research Symposium. Named for longtime supporter and donor, Dr. Dennis Dean, the annual Dennis Dean Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship conference is a day-long event held at the end of each spring semester that showcases the wide variety of research and creative scholarship taking place across Virginia Tech. Students presented the results of a research or creative project; this is an important part of a student’s overall journey because it provides the opportunity to learn how to effectively communicate their ideas to a broad audience, defend their work, exchange ideas, and even inspire future research. At this event, students present their work as posters and may be considered for several conference awards. Students included in the pictures are: Justin Brandt, Joe Barrese, Kayla Bowen, Alex van Marcke, Chloe Taylor, Ryan Chen, Ray Flannagan, Matt Simmons. And, faculty mentors were: Drs. Young Kim, Jennifer Russell, and Daniel Hindman. #VirginiaTech #SBIO #SBIOResearch #UndergradResearch #ResearchPosters #ResearchSymposium 

SBIO invites you to join us for an End-of-the-Year-Party to celebrate our students and graduates! Join us on Tuesday April 30th in the Brooks Center classroom at 5:30pm. Sign up thru the QR code or the link below: https://lnkd.in/g2PDBxNV   RSVP by Saturday, April 27th to reserve your spot at the End of the Year Party!   #VirginiaTech #SBIO #SBIOCelebrates #SBIOGraduates

Sustainable Biomaterials Professor, Dr. Robert Bush, along with other educators, recently met with the Consul General of Ireland, Caoimhe Ní Chonchuir, in Atlanta GA to discuss the benefits of studying abroad in Ireland. At the meeting, the Consul General (pictured standing) announced that the Irish government will be funding one thousand new scholarships for U.S. students in order to allow them to participate in study abroad programs in Ireland. Reach out to rbush@vt.edu to learn more and/or sign up for the next opportunity!   #VirginiaTech #SBIO #SBIOStudiesAbroad #SBIOandIreland