• MS:
• BS:

Liu’s research focus is on the investigation of bioplastic foams.  The extrusion foaming and injection molding foaming processes will be studied.  The major aim is to produce cost effective and lightweight bioplastic materials.

Derek Brosious
MS candidate, Civil and Environmental Engineering (expected 2009)

• BS:
  
  

Elvie Brown
PhD candidate, Chemical Engineering (expected 2009)

• MS: Chemical Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA
• BS: Computer Science, Xavier University, Philippines
  

Elvie is continuing to work on synthesing cellulose nanofibers from Acetobacter Xylinum. She is manipulating incubation conditions and purification methods to control the morphology of the produced cellulose nanofibers. She is particularly interested in tailoring the crystallinity, allomorph ratio, nanofiber dimensions and aspect ratio. She is using various microscopic techniques to characterize cellulose nanofibers such as Electron microscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy and Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy. She also plans to use Infrared Spectroscopy and X-Ray Diffraction to monitor the crystallinity of the cellulose nanofibers.

Tony Cameron
MS candidate, Civil and Environmental Engineering (expected 2009)

• BS: Civil Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA USA
  
  

Fang Chen
PhD candidate, Civil and Environmental Engineering (expected 2010)

• MS:
• BS:

Feng (Amy) Chen
PhD candidate, Materials Science Program (expected 2009)

• BS: Materials Science and Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, China
  

Amy is working on a grant sponsored by the USDA-NRI. She is blending soy protein with a biodegradable copolyester, poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate), and investigating the properties of the resulting blends. She is demonstrating that soy protein can function either as filler or as a plastic in the blends through controlling the moisture level in the soy protein. When soy protein behaves as a plastic, the resulting blends demonstrate significantly higher mechanical properties than when it behaves as filler in the blends.

Lee-Wen (Miranda) Chen
MS candidate, Civil and Environmental Engineering (expected 2009)

• BS:

Miranda is working on a project involving a novel processing method for long strand composites from small diameter timber.

Wei Fan
PhD candidate, Civil and Environmental Engineering (expected 2011)

• BS:
• MS:
  

Mark Hatch
MS candidate, Civil and Environmental Engineering (expected 2008)

• BS: Agricultural Engineering, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID USA
  

Mark's research involves mechanical analysis of melt-bonded (laminated) wood polypropylene beams.

Dan Howe
PhD candidate, Chemical Engineering (expected 2010)

• MS:
• BS:

Xuping Huo
PhD candidate, Civil and Environmental Engineering (expected 2011)

• BS:
• MS:
  

Sean Johnson
MS candidate, Civil and Environmental Engineering (expected 2009)

• BS:
  

Steve Michael
MS candidate, Civil and Environmental Engineering Engineering (expected 2008)

• BS: Mechanical Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA USA
  

Steve is working on trying to impregnate Parallam composites with a low density polyethylene thermoplastic.

Jason O'Dell
MS candidate, Civil and Environmental Engineering (expected 2009)

• BS: Civil Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA USA
  
  

Nels Peterson
MS candidate, Civil and Environmental Engineering (expected 2008)

• MS: Architecture, Washington State University, Pullman, WA USA
  
• BS: Architecture, Washington State University, Pullman, WA USA
  

The project will determine the physical and mechanical properties of the Beetle-Killed Spruce and will be used in the manufacturing of Wood-Plastic Composites (WPC). The WPC will also be evaluated for mechanical and physical properties and will be compared to existing product standards, with the ultimate goal of determining the feasibility of using Beetle-Killed Spruce in WPC.

Isabela Reiniati
MS candidate, Chemical Engineering (expected 2008)

• BS: Chemical Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA USA
  

Hot pressing is an important step in the manufacture of traditional wood-based composites such as oriented strand boards. The hot-pressing depends on the chemical, physical and viscoelastic behavior of wood polymers and may further alter these wood properteis.  In this project the impact of hotpressing on the viscoelastic properties of various hybrid poplar clones will be examined along with the changes in physical and chemical properties.  This project will thus generate some fundamental understanding of the properties underlying to hot-pressing behavior of wood, thus providing guidelines for optimizing wood traits for the manufacture of hot-pressed composites.

Zachary Rininger
MS candidate, Civil and Environmental Engineering (expected 2008)

• BS: Civil Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA USA
  

Loren Ross
MS candidate, Civil and Environmental Engineering (expected 2008)

• BS:
  
  

Elena (Helen) Ten
PhD candidate, Materials Science Program (expected 2010)

• MS:
• BS:

Meng Hsin (Derek) Tsai
MS candidate, Civil and Environmental Engineering (expected 2009)

• BS:
  
  

Rich Utzman
MS candidate, Civil and Environmental Engineering (expected 2009)

• BS:
  

Viviane Villechevrolle
MS candidate, Civil and Environmental Engineering (expected 2009)

• BS:
  

Yi Wang
PhD candidate, Civil and Environmental Engineering (expected 2010)

• MS: Wood Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR USA
  
• BS: Wood Science & Technology, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China