Category: News

Dr. Greg Dechaine appointed Thermal Conversions Theme Lead

The BCN is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Greg Dechaine as Thermal Conversions Theme Lead. This role was previously held by Dr. Murray Gray, who will remain involved with the BCN but has resigned as Theme Lead in order to pursue sabbatical activities during 2011-12. Dr. Dechaine is an Assistant Professor in the department of Chemical & Materials Engineering at the University of Alberta. He received a Master of Applied Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo (2004) where he studied and developed coated catalysts for catalytic distillation columns, and a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Read More …

Cool Careers in Chemical Engineering

The Science Alberta Foundation recently produced a series of videos on “A Career in Chemical Engineering”. The videos feature two Tech Futures chemical engineers, who support Alberta in leading in the growing market for sustainable and renewable materials. While the Wonderville.ca videos are aimed at making science relevant for grade-school children, Albertans of all ages will find these informative. The Videos: http://www.wonderville.ca/asset/cool-careers-chemical-engineer http://www.wonderville.ca/asset/chemical-engineer-projects http://www.wonderville.ca/asset/chemical-engineer-environment http://www.wonderville.ca/asset/chemical-engineer-teamwork http://www.wonderville.ca/asset/chemical-engineer-what-do-you-do  

Transforming industrial waste into high-value protein based products

Mr. Tizazu Mekonnen was recently asked to contribute an article to PrioNews, PrioNet Canada’s Quarterly Newsletter. Mr. Mekonnen is a graduate student in Dr. Bressler’s lab in the Dept. of AFNS at the University of Alberta. He is working on a technology to convert co-products of the rendering industry such as Specified Risk Material, to value-added protein-based products.  Click here to read the article (pg 6).

BCN Graduate Student Wins Competition at International Conference

The BCN is pleased to congratulate graduate student, Mr. Sabaratnam Naguleswaran, for winning first place in the Carbohydrate Division Best Paper Competition at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC). Mr. Naguleswaran’s presentation, entitled “Distribution of granule channels, protein and phospholipid in triticale and corn starches as revealed by confocal laser scanning” described the graduate research he is conducting under the supervision of Dr. Thava Vasanthanin the Department of AFNS. The research is funded by the BCN, Alberta Ingenuity (now part of Alberta Innovates Technology Futures), and the Canadian Triticale Biorefinery Initiative. The BCN is proud to acknowledge this achievement and wishes Read More …

2nd Annual Retreat a Tremendous Success

Under the bold theme “Refining Technology for Biomass Conversion: Conventional Products through Unconventional Approaches”, the Biorefining Conversions Network (BCN) recently held their 2nd Annual Strategic Retreat at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. The event, which began with an informal networking reception on Sunday November 7th, was attended by 125 delegates including senior industry representatives and government officials as well as expert researchers from Alberta, across Canada, the US, and Europe. In addition to widespread representation from the forestry, agriculture, oil and gas, and chemical manufacturing sectors, there was a notable presence of smaller renewable energy companies and technology developers. Increased participation Read More …

Biorefining leaders convene in Alberta

By Tom Bryan   (reproduced with permission from the author)   More than 130 representatives of government, academia and industry in Canada converged Nov.8 at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, within Alberta’s picturesque Banff National Park, for the University of Alberta’s 2nd Annual Biorefining Conversions Network Strategic Retreat.  Biorefining Conversions Network Director David Bressler opened the retreat by underscoring the promise of Alberta’s burgeoning bioindustrial sector and challenging participants to help the BCN shape its strategic mission. “We’re here to focus and refine the mission of the network,” he said.  Setting out to cultivate Alberta’s bioindustrial sector, the BCN has Read More …

BCN at the Cosmetic Industry Connects Forum

The Cosmetic Industry Connects (CIC) Forum, sponsored by Growing Forward, was held Oct. 5 & 6 at Agri-Food Discovery Place on the University of Alberta South Campus. Specialty Cosmetic Ingredients Team Leader, Kathy Lowther (BTD), chaired this event. The CIC Forum brought together representatives from the Alberta cosmetics industry and international speakers to discuss how to build a globally competitive plant-based cosmetic & personal care ingredient industry in Alberta. BCN Director, David Bressler, was an invited panellist at the Forum and provided a detailed overview of the potential linkages between biomass conversion technology and cosmetic applications. The BCN also sponsored Read More …

BCN connects with bioenergy in the Southeastern US

BCN Director, David Bressler, spoke at the Southeast Bioenergy Conference held Aug 3-5, 2010 in Tifton, Georgia. Dr. Bressler was invited and hosted by the Consulate General of Canada (Atlanta and Miami offices). Under the theme “Building a Vibrant Renewable Energy Market for the Southeast”, the conference included presentations by local and international experts from the bioenergy research and business communities. Dr. Bressler spoke about the future job market within the bioindustrial sector, indentifying the critical skill sets needed and highlighting the enhanced opportunities if a biorefinery model is implemented.  After the conference, Dr. Bressler travelled to Florida with Canadian Read More …

BCN Director featured in Agricultural Institute of Canada publication

Research in the Faculty of ALES at the University of Alberta was a major focus of the Spring issue of “Sustainable Futures”, an official publication of the Agricultural Institute of Canada. BCN Director, David Bressler, was featured in the article, which praised the Faculty for its efforts in developing innovative science programs to address agricultural and energy issues. Dr. Bressler is pictured in an ad on page 4 and the article is on pages 19-21.