Principal Investigator
Dr. Amar Mohanty
University of Guelph
Dr. Mohanty is the Director of the Bioproducts Discovery & Development Centre (BDDC) at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. He is an international leader in the field of bioplastics, biobased materials and biorefinery with a focus in engineering new sustainable materials.
Email: mohanty@uoguelph.ca | Phone: 1 (519) 824-4120 x 56664
Co-Investigators
Dr. Franco Berruti
Director General, Institute for Chemicals and Fuels from Alternative Resources
Dr. Berruti is the Director General of the Institute for Chemicals and Fuels from Alternative Resources (ICFAR) at Western University in London, Ontario. He is an accomplished researcher with expertise is gas-solid fluidized bed reaction and reactor technologies applied to thermal cracking processes for agricultural, forestry and industrial residues. He is the co-inventor of a mobile biomass pyrolysis process for agricultural and forestry residues commercialized by Agri-Therm Inc.
Email: fberruti@uwo.ca | Phone: 519-661-2111 ext. 8877
Dr. Fantahun Defersha
Associate Professor in the School of Engineering, University of Guelph
Dr. Fantahun Defersha is an Associate Professor in the School of Engineering, University of Guelph. His research interests are in manufacturing system analysis, flexible and cellular manufacturing systems, reconfigurable machine tools and reconfigurable manufacturing systems, part sequencing and scheduling, production and inventory planning, productivity and cost analysis, supply chain modeling and simulation, reverse logistics and remanufacturing systems analysis, artificial intelligence and meta-heuristics, development of hybrid heuristics for multi-objective optimization problems by combining analytical methods such as simplex algorithm and Lagrangian relaxation with search methods including genetic algorithm and simulated annealing, and the applications of parallel computing in those areas mentioned above.
Email: fdefersh@uoguelph.ca | Tel: 519-824-4120 ext. 56512
Dr. Stefano Gregori
Associate Professor, School of Engineering, University of Guelph
His current research interests are in the design, analysis, and characterization of integrated circuits, interfaces, and sensors with analog and digital applications. His research aims at the development of low-power integrated nano-scale systems for reconfigurable multi-standard terminals, energy harvesters, power microconverters, and sensors.
Email: sgregori@uoguelph.ca | Phone: 519 824-4120 ext:56191
Dr. Manjusri Misra
Professor, School of Engineering, University of Guelph
Dr. Misra’s current research focuses primarily on novel bio-based composites from agricultural and forestry resources for the sustainable bio-economy targeting the development of bio-based and eco-friendly alternatives to the existing petroleum-based products.
Email: mmisra@uoguelph.ca | Phone: 1 (519) 824-4120 x 56766
Dr. Sudip Rakshit
Professor, Chemical Enginnering, Canada Research Chair
Dr. Rakshit has considerable experience in the area of utilization of lignocellulosic residues for the production of bioethanol and renewable chemicals. He was part of a team which was involved in setting up a pilot plant for the ethanol from agricultural residues like rice straw, wheat straw and sugar cane bagasse. As the Vice President Research of the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), a graduate school, among other initiatives he created a Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Development in the context of Climate Change.
Email: srakshit@lakeheadu.ca | Phone: (807) 343-8415
Dr. Mohini Sain
Dean and Professor of Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto
Dr. Sain is the Dean and Professor of Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto. He is also cross-appointed to the Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Toronto since 2001. He is the recipient of many Industry-University Awards for his significant academic and industrial contribution to the development of biocomposites and commercialization activities. His areas of research include nano bio-technology, natural fiber composites, and mass production of nano fiber.
Email: m.sain@utoronto.ca | Phone: 1 (416) 946-3191
Dr. Alfons Weersink
Professor, Agri-environmental Policy, Farm Structure and Production Economics
Dr. Alfons Weersink, Professor, Department of Food, Agricultural & Resource Economics, University of Guelph. His research interests include Agri-environmental Policy, Farm Structure and Production Economics, has been working on the evaluation of economic, environmental and land-use impacts of green policies on the agri-food sector. His research areas are agri-environmental policy, farm structure, and production economics.
Email: aweersin@uoguelph.ca | Phone: 519-824-4120 ext. 52766
Project Management
Dr. Milka Popov
Research Project Manager, University of Guelph
Email: mpopov@uoguelph.ca | Phone: 519-824-4120 ext. 56602
Mr. Shaun Wilson
Manager, Research Financial Services, University of Guelph
Email: shaun.wilson@uoguelph.ca | Phone: 519-824-4120 ext. 58770