Forest Biomaterials at Papercon 2018

TAPPI’S annual PaperCon event is the world’s largest technical conference for the Pulp & Paper industry. Over 2,000 paper and packing professionals and academia from more than 32 different countries around the world gathered at the Charlotte Convention Center April 15-18, 2018. The Department of Forest Biomaterials is proud to be among the participants involved in this significant event.

During the three-day conference, a team of Forest Biomaterials graduate students, undergraduate students, faculty and staff engaged with leaders in the industry, developed new contacts and cultivated existing business relationships. The team expertly showcased our graduate program and technical services at our custom designed, highly visible exhibit booth. The vibrant FB exhibit drew much attention and was a big hit among attendees! NC State also participated in the 5th annual Alumni Soiree as part of the celebration activities.

Prior to the PaperCon exhibitions, the Advanced Coating Symposium (ACS) took place on April 14-15. At the symposium, Dr. Martin Hubbe, Professor, presented on Nanocellulose Suspensions Rheology: Considerations for Paper Coatings. Dr. Lokendra Pal, Associate Professor, was Chair of the ACS4- Nanocellulose Use in Coatings session during the symposium. Graduate student, Preeti Tyagi, presented on Nanocellulose-based Multifunctional Barrier Coatings. Sachin Agate, graduate student, presented on Novel Approaches to Paper Surface Treatment for High-Speed Inkjet Production Printing. Major paper producers, chemical suppliers, printers, and converters participated in the symposium, providing excellent exposure for the novel research of our students and professors!

We are delighted to share the following honors, awards and scholarships announced at PaperCon, which were received by Forest Biomaterials faculty, students, and alumni:

• Herman L. Joachim Distinguished Service Award – Dr. Jeffrey R. Reese, alumnus and Manager, Paper Solutions for International Paper, Cincinnati Technology Center
• Ray H. Cross Community Service Award – Dr. Bob Grygotis, alumnus & General Manager, Domtar mill in Ashdown, AK
• TAPPI Fellow – Dr. Marko Hakovirta, Department Head of Forest Biomaterials
• Young Professional of the Year – Dr. Ricardo Santos, alumnus & Powerhouse Supervisor at Westrock mill in Covington, MA
• TAPPI Scholarship Winners –
• Paper & Board: Trevor J. Gamache, Lillian Humphries, and Jensen Vellaringattu
• Process Control: Allison Hellwig and Lindsay Leonard
• Process & Product Quality: Mathew Frink and Lillian Humphries
• Coating & Graphic Arts: Lillian Humphries

We would like to extend heartfelt thanks to our students, faculty, and staff who made PaperCon 2018 a smashing success. Each brought passion and professionalism, and did an outstanding job representing the Department of Forest Biomaterials. Go Pack!