Wood Processing Researchers
The ACIAR funded project "Enhancing value added wood processing in PNG" is led by the University of Melbourne with in-country support from the PNG Forest Authority (PNGFA) in Port Moresby and the Forest Research Institute (FRI) in Lae. The project research team members from PNG and Australia are introduced below.
Sustainable and Renewable Forest Products Research Group
The Sustainable and Renewable Forest Products Research Group at the School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, Faculty of Science, the University of Melbourne focuses on value adding to plantation timber resources through the manufacture of high value wood products. Our interest is in enhancing key elements in the value chain of wood products manufactured from plantation grown wood (e.g. through maximising value, improving production efficiency). Major areas of research include:
Utilisation of young plantation timbers for high value wood products;- Innovative methods for timber drying;
- Decorative wood veneer technology and veneered products;
- Wood waste reduction and waste utilisation;
- Wood products performance in various environmental conditions;
- Reusing and recycling wood materials and products;
- Value-chain analysis for plantation wood products;
- Timber as a sustainable and renewable building material.
The research is undertaken through large international collaborative projects in South-East Asia, Papua New Guinea and Europe. Our research provides guidelines to the forest products industry in sustainable use of timber for high-value wood products from a changing resource base. The introduction of environmentally friendly production methods and eco-friendly designed products will potentially create an on-going culture of production of ecologically sustainable wood products.
Prof. Barbara Ozarska
Barbara is the leader of Forest Products Research Group at the School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences. She has an extensive experience in research on processing and manufacturing of high value wood products as well as quality control and product performance requirements. During her academic and research career, she has been the Instigator, Leader and Chief Investigator for international multidisciplinary collaborative projects that have been supported by competitive research grants and research contracts in Europe and Australasia. A large part of her research and training program has focussed on enhancing key elements of the value chain for plantation-grown wood in Asian and Pacific countries (Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia and PNG).
Barbara's research outcomes have been widely reported in more than 250 publications which include books, book chapters, refereed journal papers and conference papers, invited lectures/papers, research reports and industry magazine articles. She has an impressive record in supervision of postgraduate students at the University of Melbourne and international students pursuing bachelor degrees by thesis.
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Dr. Benoit Belleville
Benoit is a Research Fellow at the School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences. He has strong wood technology skills, especially in processing and manufacturing of wood products.
Benoit's research focuses on wood as a sustainable and renewable material, reflecting his technical skills, engineering background and research experience in wood science and technology. His work involves mechanical behaviour of materials; material characterization; process optimisation; and engineered wood products development.
Benoit's expertise has engaged him in research in Australia, Canada, France, Chile, Lao PDR, and Papua New-Guinea. His research outcomes have been reported in more than 50 publications which include book chapter, refereed journal papers and conference papers, research reports and industry magazine articles..
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Dr. Constantine (Con) Adam
Constantine is a timber expert in glued laminated timber, cross laminated timber (CLT), engineered wood products and wood composites, with strong links with the timber industry in Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia and China.
Constantine is a member of TM011 Standards Australia Committee, and ISO T165 international standard Committee. He is also Director of Glued Laminated Timber Association of Australia (GLTAA) Inspectorate.
Constantine is establishing quality assurance system for the glued laminated manufacturing plant both for structural and non-structural applications and conducting training workshops for the glulam industry in Australia and Asia.
Forest Products Program Team, Forest Research Institute, Lae
Coming soon...
Other Team Members
Dr. Bob Smith
Bob Smith of LeafCarbon P/L has vast expertise in economic, social and environmental impacts assessment. He leads the Objective 3 of the project on the assessment of potential economic impacts to PNG national and local economies from enhanced value added wood processing.
Bob also plays an important role in the policy aspects of the project through interactions with the PNG Forest Authority PNGFA) and the PNG Forest Industries Asociation (FIA).
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