Tag Archive for: Bio4Energy Graduate School

Systems' Perspectives on Biomass Resources is an academic course about placing bio-based technologies and process into context via systems analysis. Elisabeth Wetterlund in insert. Artwork: No copying or sharing permitted.Bio4Energy: No copying or sharing

Systems’ Perspective Needed in Societal Transition Research: Course Start

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The application is open to Bio4Energy’s generic course Systems’ Perspectives on Biomass Resources. It is a training about systems analysis of bio-based technologies, processes and systems.

“You learn to develop a holistic perspective; to see the big picture. This is important for all researchers and not only when it comes to bioenergy, although this is the topic of this course”, said Elisabeth Wetterlund, professor at Luleå University of Technology (LTU), who is new course coordinator.

“You learn to develop a holistic perspective; to see the big picture. This is important for all researchers and not only when it comes to bioenergy, although this is the topic of this course”.

“It is both about learning to apply a systems’ perspective… and learning to put one’s own research into a wider context. This is particularly important when the research is about technology, phenomena or processes related to [societal] transition”, Wetterlund wrote in an e-mail reply to Communications.

Given that Wetterlund is also deputy manager of the research programme part of Bio4Energy, she should know.

Unique benefit that went from shut shop to open

The Systems’ Perspectives training is part of the Bio4Energy Graduate School on the Innovative Use of Biomass. At the beginnings of the research environment, the Graduate School was reserved for its own advanced student – PhDs and postdoctoral fellows.

In 2014, however, the Bio4Enery Board took the decision to open it to advanced students in Sweden and to interested professionals in the biorefinery and bioenergy sector. The reasoning behind it was basically that some things are too precious not to be shared.

“Bio4Energy has a national mission to contribute technology to produce liquid fuels… This is a strategic decision. We will embrace the rest of the country in a first step that is national. In a second step we should strive to build an international graduate school”, LTU vice-chancellor at the time, Johan Sterte, commented.

And so it was. With a growing membership and Bio4Energy establishing itself as a leading research environment—making methods and tools for developing advanced biofuels, “green” chemicals and smart bio-based materials—the decision was made to open the door to advanced students everywhere, so long as they were affiliated with an accredited institution of higher learning.

“You are in a context and together with others who do similar things as yourself; in this case bioenergy, biorefinery and the like… which gives a cross-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary perspective”.

First week of course is on location in northern Sweden

The first week and last day of course will be on location at Luleå in northern Sweden; 11-15 November and 11 March, respectively.

In between those dates, students will need to put time aside for distance learning in the form of online lectures and project work. Wetterlund, for her part, will be assisted in her coordinatorship by a very seasoned systems analysis expert, LTU professor Joakim Lundgren.

The two have taken turns with Robert Lundmark, economics professor at LTU, to teach and lead the course.

“You are in a context and together with others who do similar things as yourself; in this case bioenergy, biorefinery and the like… which gives a cross-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary perspective”, Wetterlund said.

Contacts

Elisabeth Wetterlund and Joakim Lundgren — Course coordinator Systems’ Perspectives on Biomass Resources

Dimitris Athanassiadis — Coordinator of the Bio4Energy Graduate School

For more information

Course Start: Systems’ Perspectives on Biomass Resources – Bio4Energy

Info Sheet: Systems’ Perspectives on Biomass Resources

Bio4Energy Graduate School – Bio4Energy

Related News

Bio4Energy Graduate School: Development of Biorefinery Innovations Up Next – Bio4Energy

Trees play a vital role in maintaining the health of our planet and supporting human life in various ways. To use them as an economic resource, we advocate finding ways that will sustain both us and nature. Photo by AnnaStrom ©2024.©AnnaStrom

Bio4Energy 2023: Full Steam Ahead in Education, Research, Forming Collaborations

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With the effects of the pandemic largely behind in northern Europe and Scandinavia, 2023 was a year of full steam ahead for the research environment Bio4Energy. This applied to the production of scientific research results, as well as education and training. It was also a year in which new collaborations and partnerships were formed.

This is the message of the 2023 Bio4Energy Annual Report, issued this month. It also says that the seven research platforms, which deliver scientific methods and tools for developing advanced biofuels, “green” chemicals and bio-based materials; had more collaboration amongst themselves than before.

Nine so-called Strategic Projects were granted on this basis of cross platform and cross-organisation cooperation. Four of them have just been listed on the Bio4Energy website.

With the effects of the pandemic largely behind in Bio4Energy’s northern European region, 2023 was a year of full steam ahead for the research environment. This applied to the production of scientific research results, as well as education and training.

Both scientific researchers and communications actively developed external collaborations. Once again, Bio4Energy helped promote the annual Advanced Biofuels Conference, which had a focus on renewable transport fuel for the maritime and airline industries.

As part of the core curriculum of the Bio4Energy Graduate School on the Innovative Use of Biomass, the team behind it launched a new course on the history of biorefining in Nordic countries, which received good reviews by students and professors in its first round.

It has a focus on the Nordic countries; Sweden, Finland and Norway. This is not only because the Bio4Energy research environment is based here, but also because of their historic importance as a hub for forestry adapted to the geological and climatic conditions of the boreal belt. Examples from Canada are an important part, because of the development of its biorefinery sector that has unfolded in parallel and partly on the same latitudes.

News in the form of popular sciences attracted attention, notably in the areas of industry – academy collaboration to lay the foundation for “green” steel making, which is expected to contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from iron and steel making industries.

So did news articles on the commercialisation of bio-based hydrogels, which are slated for use in wound healing and advances in improving bio-based input materials for biorefinery production, notably wood or woody residues from trees.

A comprehensive round-up of the chemistry involved in biorefinery processes had many views, as did news on Bio4Energy’s new representative in Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC), which latter props up the industrial Circular Bio-based Joint Undertaking (CBE JU). It is a partnership between BIC and the European Union.

For more information

Bio4Energy Annual Report 2023 — Download Materials

Strategic Research Projects — Bio4Energy Projects

Bio4Energy Graduate School: New course starts in 2024. Photos by Francesco Gentili and ©AnnaStrom.©AnnaStrom

Bio4Energy Graduate School: Development of Biorefinery Innovations Up Next

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Bio4Energy’s core curriculum is contained in the courses of its Graduate School. The flagship training Biorefinery Pilot Research gives PhD students and postdoctoral fellows access to the unique park of pilot and demonstration facilities that line the coast of northeastern Sweden, when it comes to the production of advanced biofuels, “green” chemicals and bio-based materials.

Students construct and conduct their own projects to experience the innovation process hands on. First-hand access to professionals in industry and their peers allow for networking. Industry professionals are welcome to apply and to attend the course, to top up their knowledge with the latest in biorefinery development based on residues of woody biomass or organic waste.

A new edition of Biorefinery Pilot Research is scheduled for autumn 2024: End of August to October. First come, first serve!

Moreover, a much awaited new edition of Systems’ Perspectives on Biomass Resources will launch in autumn 2024. Students learn the basics of system analysis, by applying its principles on their own research projects. They also receive an overview of energy and sustainability issues on the global level, framed in the context of biorefinery development.

New course leaders as of November 2023 are Joakim Lundgren, Elisabeth Wetterlund and Andrea Toffolo; all three affiliated with Bio4Energy core partner Luleå University of Technology.

Finally, the new course History of Biorefining in Nordic Countries‘ paints the background of biorefinery development, as well as current trends and progress. Study visits and sessions on sustainability challenges alert students to the fact that we need to do better tomorrow to achieve circularity; efficient and effective production systems with low or no pollution escaping out into the environment.

Carmen Cristescu coordinates History of Biorefining, which just concluded in November this year, with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences at Umeå, as the hub for lectures and group assignments.

So say our students

PhD students Edouardo Arango-Durango and Mahsa Mehrara traveled from Luleå and the university there to attend the first-ever edition of the course.

“It has been amazing. I am from Colombia where forestry is different. Here [in Sweden] innovation is more advanced. It was an opportunity for me to learn”, Arango-Durango, Thermochemical Conversion, told Bio4Energy Communications at the end of lectures 27 October.

Standing beside him, Mehrara is part of Systems Analysis and Bioeconomy and, in her work, performs simulations to lay at the base of various research investigations.

“I joined because I wanted to know more about the background of my research. It is nice to know [what happens with] the feedstock in the real world”, she said.

“I liked the course, but it could be made more challenging”, Mehrara added.

For more information

Bio4Energy Graduate School

Do you love nature as much as we do? Let us help manage and use its bounty wisely. Photo by Anna Strom ©2023©AnnaStrom

Greeting to Our Followers

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We are taking a break and want to wish our followers and stakeholders a very happy time ahead.

We will be back mid-August, focusing on the launch of our new training for advanced students; as well as institute or industry representatives; interested in bioenergy, biorefinery and the development of the forest industry. It starts in October this year and deals with the topic right below.

Historical, technological and societal background to forestry and forest-based biorefining in Nordic countries

Bio4Energy Graduate School – Bio4Energy

Many thanks for taking the journey towards the bioeconomy with us!

Bio4Energy

with our 200 researchers and advanced students, Programme Managers and their Deputy, Steering Group, Board, Advisory Board and Communications

Carmen Cristescu and Dimitris Athanassiadis are coordinators for Bio4Energy's new training on the history of biorefining. Photo by Anna Strom ©2023.©AnnaStrom

New Training: History of Biorefining in Nordic Countries

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Bio4Energy is launching a new course for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, which paints the background of, and serves as a framework for, the development of biorefineries based on woody biomass.

It has a focus on the Nordic countries; notably Sweden, Finland and Norway. This is not only because the Bio4Energy research environment is based here, but also because of their historic importance as a hub for forestry adapted to the geological and climatic conditions of the boreal belt.

These are conditions that have allowed the Nordics to become an exporter of timber and wood products, as well as evolve to lay foundations for today’s biorefineries: Plants that run a range of processes for the refining woody biomass or residual streams from pulp and paper industry.

In fact, even though the term ‘biorefinery’ may be recent, some experts on the topic would insist that biorefineries have existed for thousands of years.

“The need for PhDs to know the background and development of the forestry industry has increased. Here we provide the historical background. Biorefinery is a new concept, but conversion into useful energy has existed since ancient years”, according to Dimitris Athanassiadis, Bio4Energy Graduate School Coordinator.

The format will be three weeks of fulltime study, of which one week on location at Umeå, Sweden. This second week (6-10 November) will include study visits to relevant industrial operators such as the biorefinery at Örnsköldsvik, Sweden (Domsjö Fabriker AB of Aditya Birla), harvesting operations and a wood yard.

Just as the other two generic courses of the Graduate School, it will be offered biannually.

“It is very important to understand how we reached were we are now. [We will be looking at] technological developments, historical aspects… and legislation. Mistakes of the past should not be repeated”.

Athanassiadis is a researcher at Bio4Energy partner Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and is working on the launch along with his team member Carmen Cristescu, researcher.

“We look forward to meeting the student and are very happy… to organise and plan this course to make it interesting”, he said.

For more information

Historical, technological and societal background to forestry and forest-based biorefining in Nordic countries — Bio4Energy Graduate School

Contacts

Dimitris Athanassiadis — Bio4Energy Graduate School Coordinator

Carmen Cristescu — Course Leader for Historical, Technological and Societal Background

Related News

New Coordinator for Graduate School: Course Starts in 2024

Starting Soon: Training on Developing Biofuels, Chemicals, Materials

Dimitris Athanassiadis, Bio4Energy Systems Analysis and Bioeconomy, is new coordinator of the Graduate School.©AnnaStrom

New Coordinator for Graduate School: Course Starts in 2024

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The Bio4Energy Graduate School, with flagship training on biorefinery demonstration and systems analysis of biomass resources, has a new coordinator.

Dimitris Athanassiadis of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) at Umeå is taking over from Sylvia Larsson, who has moved on to industry and is working at MoRe Research, Örnsköldsvik.

Athanassiadis is not only an associate professor, but also has longstanding experience of coordinating higher education initiatives and most recently a graduate school at his home organisation SLU.

“It feels like I have had a lot of practise already at the Faculty of Forest Sciences.

“You really can help PhD students—and at the same time Bio4Energy—with networking and [with shaping their] education… by providing them with information about courses they may not realise are available and giving access to each other”, he said.

Athanassiadis envisages creating short webinars, organising site visits to companies in the sector or even arranging seminars.

As for the generic courses of the Bio4Energy Graduate School, he is planning to launch new editions of both during 2024. Biorefinery Pilot Research will be given in spring and Systems’ Perspectives on Biomass Resources in autumn.

For advanced students interested in furthering their education with the research environment, he advises candidates to contact research leaders in Bio4Energy whose work remit corresponds to the candidate’s topical area of interest.

Open positions will be announced via Bio4Energy’s website, he adds.

Starting Soon: Training on Developing Biofuels, Chemicals, Materials

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Bio4Energy is announcing the start of its flagship training course Biorefinery Pilot Research early April 2022.

It is one of two must-take courses for advanced students interested in innovation and development of advanced biofuels, chemicals and materials from wood or organic waste.

The application opens today and will close 15 March.

Biorefinery Pilot Research is part of the Bio4Energy Graduate School on the Innovative Use of Biomass. It is for PhD students, postdoctoral researchers and industry professionals who want to develop their understanding of the innovation and development process.

For more information

Course brochure for Biorefinery Pilot Research.