Innovation Anthology #239:
If Dr. Carlo Montemagno has his way, no one will ever look at trees the same way again.
Dr. Montemagno is the Dean of Engineering at the University of Cincinnati, and he was in Edmonton recently for the Conference on Nanotechnology and Forest Products.
In Montemagno’s world, trees produce more than lumber and pulp. They are a cornucopia of proteins and molecules that form the basis of nano-enabled biomaterials.
DR. CARLO MONTEMAGNO: Well forest products produces a large amount of biomass. But all of their focus has been on cellulose. I mean, that’s what they do. They look at using wood, fibre and pulp and that’s what they focus on. There is a huge amount of potential resources in terms of the fundamental biological components that support the living mechanism of the tree that we should be able to harvest and be able to use as value added products, products that have more value maybe intrinsically than the actual fibre that they are so heavily focused on.
Dr. Carlo Montemagno says these renewable, nano-engineered biomaterials can replace petroleum-based chemicals. This will significantly reduce the carbon footprint of industry.
Thanks today to Alberta Ingenuity
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Alberta Ingenuity
Established in 2000, the Alberta Ingenuity Fund supports science and engineering research of the highest calibre, to create a prosperous future for the province of Alberta. It draws funding from a $1 billion endowment established in 2000 and managed by the Government of Alberta to build the capacity for innovation, especially in areas with long lasting social and economic impact.
Among its many programs, Alberta Ingenuity supports graduate students and university researchers, industrial research and commercialization partnerships, and has established several Centres and Institutes.
In January 2010, under the new Alberta Innovation Framework, Alberta Ingenuity was restructured and absorbed in the new agency Alberta Innovates Technology Solutions.
Program Date: 2009-07-07