2024 Annual Meeting

On September 10, attendees had a tour at SUNY ESF in Tully, NY, featuring discussions on chestnut and willow research, including the longest-running willow trial in the U.S. and transgenic American chestnuts with enhanced blight tolerance. The group also visited the Solvay site for a solar panel overview and explored willow evapotranspiration covers.

On Wednesday, activities began with a welcome from Dr. Jingxin Wang, Dr. Tim Volk, and Christopher Nowak SUNY ESF's Forest Resources Management, followed by presentations highlighting MASBio Technical Groups (TGs). Breakout sessions focused on "Ripple Effects".  The panel discussion covered policy and socio-economic perspectives of growing a regional bioeconomy, featuring experts:

• Marissa Jordan, Senior Behavioral Scientist, Evidn, NY, USA
• Danielle Kloster, Assistant Professor, Department of Sustainable Resources Management, SUNY-ESF
• Tristan Brown, Director of the Bioeconomy Development Institute and Associate Professor, Department of Sustainable Resources Management, SUNY-ESF, Task Group 4 Sustainability Lead
• Tim Volk, Professor and Associate Chair, Department of Sustainable Resources Management, SUNY-ESF, Lead of Task Group 2 Harvesting Logistics

Participants engaged in breakout sessions on stakeholder interactions and concurrent discussions on MASBio's work and impacts, while students had one-on-one interactions with faculty. The day wrapped up with a poster session and dinner.

Poster Session Graduate Student Competition Winners:

• First Place: Mica Keck, PhD student at NC State University.
• Second Place: Gundeep Kaur, PhD student at SUNY-ESF.
• Third Place: Piumi Jayalath, PhD student at SUNY-ESF, and Jinghan Zhao, PhD student at NC State University.

Poster Session Undergraduate Student Competition Winners:

• First Place: Ameris Chadband, West Virginia State University.
• Second Place: Jana Whitlock, West Virginia State University.

During Year 4 (Sept 2023- Sept 2024), the MASBio team focused on several tasks, including 15 trials using willow and switchgrass feedstocks, collaborating with industry partners on biochar and feedstock productivity, hosting biochar workshops, and holding stakeholder focus groups to address challenges and recommendations in the economy. The team also worked on AI-based impact analysis and innovation commercialization and partnered with educational institutions and industrial partners like  Metzler Forest Products.

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On-going research

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1. Land Reclamation and Feedstock Production 

• Willow Biomass Production & Soil Characterization
• Willow Cutting Length Study
• Herbicide Trials for Willow Establishment
• Characterization of biochar and metal uptake associated with various crops 

Looking ahead:    Click here to learn more 

2.  Harvest and Logistics

• Willow Biomass Management
• Policy Engagement Interaction with Congressional staffers
• Supply Chain Modeling Developing
• Harvesting practices for short-rotation woody crops

Looking ahead:  Click here to learn more

3.  Bioproduct Production

• Converting CO2 into CaCO3 nanoparticles
• Synthesize Bio-Adhesive from Lignin
• USDA funding to study thermal treatment severity and production of organic compounds
• Logging residue’s pretreatment and thermal decomposition characteristics
• Submission of a proposal focused on SAF

Looking ahead Click here to learn more 

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4. Sustainability Analysis

• Initial soil responses to bioproduct crop production on marginal agricultural and reclaimed mined land

• Soil functional properties with above and below-ground sensing technologies

• Monitoring soil C and microbial traits that govern it into crop maturity

Looking ahead:  Click here to learn more 

5. System TEA and Optimization

• Lignin-isolated soy protein (LISP) bio-adhesives
• Sustainable production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)
• Research on bioplastics in construction
• Kinetic modeling for lignin-based bio-adhesives and
• New approach to biomass hydrolysis with decrystallization

Looking ahead:  Click here to learn more 

6. Education

• Summer Biomass Education Program
• Teacher Training Session
• Graduate Seminar Course
• Training and Professional Development

Looking ahead:  Click here to learn more 

7. Outreach and Business

• CarbonCalc: Biochar Credit Estimator
• Pollinator Power: Biochar & Bloom Initiative
• Char21: Advanced Stormwater Filtration

Looking ahead:  Click here to learn more

"Your dedication, commitment, and hard work have been invaluable to our progress. As we look ahead to Year 5 of the MASBio, we are excited to continue building on the momentum we’ve created and delivering more impactful MASBio innovations and business development. The challenges we face are significant, but with the continued support and collaboration of the MASBio team and partners, we are confident that MASBio will keep leading the way in sustainable feedstock production and commercialization of biochar, sustainable aviation fuel, and other bioproducts."

Dr. Jingxing Wang, Project Director