Ronalds Gonzalez
Bio
Dr. Ronalds Gonzalez is an Associate Professor, consultant & thought leader in sustainable fiber-based consumer goods. He teaches conversion and process economics at North Carolina State University, focusing on the pulp & paper and hygiene tissue industry. Dr. Gonzalez is dedicated to developing tools and knowledge that create value in both the bio- and circular economy. His work has been widely recognized, including by the Brazilian Association of Pulp & Paper Technologists. He has also received the NC State University Faculty Scholar distinction and the Chancellor Innovation Award for his innovative contributions to the industry and academia. With over 100 publications in high-impact scientific journals and recognized trade magazines, Dr. Gonzalez is a prolific author and researcher. His work highlights his deep understanding of sustainable practices and his commitment to creating a more sustainable future.
Research Interest
Dr. Gonzalez leads a dynamic research group (go.ncsu.edu/ConEcSus) that collaborates closely with both companies and federal agencies to accelerate the industrial adoption of emerging and disruptive sustainable technologies and materials. As part of his commitment to promoting sustainable practices, Dr. Gonzalez recently founded the Sustainable and Alternative Fibers Initiative (SAFI), a university-industry research consortium supported by over 20 companies (go.ncsu.edu/SAFI). SAFI aims to advance responsible sourcing, development, and use of sustainable fibers to combat climate change. Dr. Gonzalez’s research portfolio is impressive, with a total value of over 10 million dollars.
Industrial Experience
With over 15 years of industry experience, Dr. Gonzalez brings a wealth of knowledge to his role at NC State University. Prior to joining the NC State University, he held leadership positions such as Corporate Controller of Manufacturing and Logistics for North, Central, and South America at SCA (Essity, the largest global hygiene tissue producer), and Controller of Fiber and Pulp Divisions at Smurfit Kappa Carton de Venezuela. In addition to his industry expertise, Dr. Gonzalez has also provided consultation services for various entities around the world, including the United States International Trade Commission, International Paper, Domtar, Greenwood Resources, Proteak, Essity, Simply Human, and Evolution Resources, among others.
Education
Business Administration, Accounting. Universidad de Los Andes, Venezuela
Engineering. Universidad de Los Andes, Venezuela
Master, Marketing Forest Products, NC State University, USA
Ph.D., Supply Chain & Conversion Economics, NC State University, USA
MBA, Corporate Finance, Jenkins Business School, USA
Certification, Value Creation Forest Products & Consumer Goods, Stockholm School of Economics, Sweden
Area(s) of Expertise
Conversion economics, supply chain, sustainability, bioeconomy, hygiene tissue industry
Publications
- Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Premium and Ultra Hygiene Tissue Products in the United States , BIORESOURCES (2023)
- Environmental sustainability perception toward obvious recovered waste content in paper-based packaging: An online and in-person survey best-worst scaling experiment , RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING (2023)
- Environmentally friendly oxidation pretreatments to produce sugar-based building blocks from dyed textile wastes via enzymatic hydrolysis , CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL (2023)
- Survivability of Salmonella Typhimurium (ATCC 14208) and Listeria innocua (ATCC 51742) on lignocellulosic materials for paper packaging , HELIYON (2023)
- Upcycling cotton textile waste into bio-based building blocks through an environmentally friendly and high-yield conversion process , RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING (2023)
- A Unique Crustacean-Based Chitin Platform to Reduce Self-Aggregation of Polysaccharide Nanofibers , FIBERS (2022)
- Developing Alternative, High-Absorbency Brown Fibers: Tissue Paper from Upcycled Corrugated Packaging Waste to Meet New Consumer Trends , ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING (2022)
- High-performance sustainable tissue paper from agricultural residue: a case study on fique fibers from Colombia , CELLULOSE (2022)
- Methods to assess and control dusting and linting in the paper industry: a review , INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY (2022)
- Microfiber shedding from nonwoven materials including wipes and meltblown nonwovens in air and water environments , ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH (2022)
Grants
Our proposal will address all three ICPF priority areas. We will ensure that students learn and perform structural design, prototyping, and techno-economic analysis to understand how design, material types/additives, and processes (analog vs. digital) affects product performances, economics, and sustainability aspect. We will also encourage students to take elective courses in sales and marketing.
The purpose of the Consortium on Sustainable and Alternative Fibers Initiative (SAFI) is to develop fundamental and applied research on the use of alternative and sustainable fibers for the manufacturing of market pulp, hygiene products and nonwovens. The idea for SAFI has grown out of societal needs for alternative yet sustainable materials. SAFI will study the potential of alternative fibers based on technical (performance), sustainable and economic principles.
The purpose of the Consortium on Sustainable and Alternative Fibers Initiative (SAFI) is to develop fundamental and applied research on the use of alternative and sustainable fibers for the manufacturing of market pulp, hygiene products and nonwovens. The idea for SAFI has grown out of societal needs for alternative yet sustainable materials. SAFI will study the potential of alternative fibers based on technical (performance), sustainable and economic principles.
The purpose of the Consortium on Sustainable and Alternative Fibers Initiative (SAFI) is to develop fundamental and applied research on the use of alternative and sustainable fibers for the manufacturing of market pulp, hygiene products and nonwovens. The idea for SAFI has grown out of societal needs for alternative yet sustainable materials. SAFI will study the potential of alternative fibers based on technical (performance), sustainable and economic principles.
The purpose of the Consortium on Sustainable and Alternative Fibers Initiative (SAFI) is to develop fundamental and applied research on the use of alternative and sustainable fibers for the manufacturing of market pulp, hygiene products and nonwovens. The idea for SAFI has grown out of societal needs for alternative yet sustainable materials. SAFI will study the potential of alternative fibers based on technical (performance), sustainable and economic principles.
The purpose of the Consortium on Sustainable and Alternative Fibers Initiative (SAFI) is to develop fundamental and applied research on the use of alternative and sustainable fibers for the manufacturing of market pulp, hygiene products and nonwovens. The idea for SAFI has grown out of societal needs for alternative yet sustainable materials. SAFI will study the potential of alternative fibers based on technical (performance), sustainable and economic principles.
The purpose of the Consortium on Sustainable and Alternative Fibers Initiative (SAFI) is to develop fundamental and applied research on the use of alternative and sustainable fibers for the manufacturing of market pulp, hygiene products and nonwovens. The idea for SAFI has grown out of societal needs for alternative yet sustainable materials. SAFI will study the potential of alternative fibers based on technical (performance), sustainable and economic principles.
The purpose of the Consortium on Sustainable and Alternative Fibers Initiative (SAFI) is to develop fundamental and applied research on the use of alternative and sustainable fibers for the manufacturing of market pulp, hygiene products and nonwovens. The idea for SAFI has grown out of societal needs for alternative yet sustainable materials. SAFI will study the potential of alternative fibers based on technical (performance), sustainable and economic principles.
The purpose of the Consortium on Sustainable and Alternative Fibers Initiative (SAFI) is to develop fundamental and applied research on the use of alternative and sustainable fibers for the manufacturing of market pulp, hygiene products and nonwovens. The idea for SAFI has grown out of societal needs for alternative yet sustainable materials. SAFI will study the potential of alternative fibers based on technical (performance), sustainable and economic principles.
The purpose of the Consortium on Sustainable and Alternative Fibers Initiative (SAFI) is to develop fundamental and applied research on the use of alternative and sustainable fibers for the manufacturing of market pulp, hygiene products and nonwovens. The idea for SAFI has grown out of societal needs for alternative yet sustainable materials. SAFI will study the potential of alternative fibers based on technical (performance), sustainable and economic principles.