During the award ceremonies at UNBC, Joe Nemeth, CEO of CPLC, presented an award to Professors Steve Helle and Michael Rutherford for research on value-added ash utilization. This project will investigate opportunities for using bio-energy ash currently disposed as landfill for use as soil amendment in forestry and agricultural applications. Nemeth noted that this project was important because "it not only addresses an environmental issue related to ash disposal from our mills, but seeks to turn this to advantage in enhancing our forest resource. We look forward to collaborating with UNBC in the work."
In opening remarks at the ceremony, Dr. Iwama, president of UNBC, thanked CPLP for its forward-looking program, noting that it "will increase links between UNBC and CPLP whose three pulp mills are a key economic engine of our Prince George community."
At UBC, Nemeth presented a similar award to Professors Andre Phillion and Mark Martinez to study the three-dimensional structure of pulp fibers using X-Ray tomographic microscopy. Nemeth noted that "this project will help us better understand our fiber, and it complements a project on pulp refining we are now supporting in the UBC Pulp and Paper Centre." He added that an additional benefit was the opening a link to the Engineering Program at UBC-Okanagan (Prof. Phillion) and commended the collaboration between these two campuses of UBC.
Professor James Olson, director of the UBC Pulp and Paper Centre, said that "Canfor Pulp's investment will directly support faculty and graduate student research aimed at serving the needs of current and future industry. This university-industry research partnership is a shining example of how we can work together to ensure BC leads the transformation into forest based bio-materials, energy, and products economy."
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