Graduate research
Are you prepared to tackle the most intricate and demanding challenges facing our world today?
Every day in the Department of Sustainable Biomaterials, we confront the world’s most pressing sustainable and environmental challenges. If you’re passionate about making a difference and committed to sustainable management of natural resources, SBIO is the place for you. Join us and be part of the solution. Ready to apply? Learn more about graduate school admission.
Below is a just a sampling of research interests of SBIO graduate students:
- Circular economy and circular business models
- Unit load sustainability and packaging sustainability
- Conversion from biomass to biofuels
Turning food waste into bioplastics
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Departmental sponsored research centers
Some of our research is done in concert with our faculty-directed research centers and is supported by these Centers and their external cooperating partners.
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The Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design , redirectVirginia Tech’s Center for Packaging & Unit Load Design leads U.S. research and testing in pallet and packaging systems—from primary packaging to full unit-load optimization. Explore cutting-edge lab services, academic programs, member resources, and industry collaboration.
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Center for Forest Products Business , redirectThe forest products industry is an important industry for the United States. Competition within the forest products industry has become fierce. Marketing as well as management of production and people have become integral to remaining competitive. The Center for Forest Products Business strives to help firms improve the management of their operations and the marketing of their products.
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Wood-Based Composites Center , redirectThe Wood-Based Composites Center (WBC) is Cooperative Research Center driven by an industry-scientific community that develops research related to composites and renewable materials. The WBC is a leading source for fundamental research and education in wood-based composites.
Graduate Student research in the news
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Spray-coated bioplastics offer scalable, sustainable alternative to plastic packaging , articleResearchers develop a proof-of-concept process to strengthen biodegradable paper coatings and reduce plastic waste.
Date: Nov 03 - -
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Students help drive new research on global marine debris , articleGraduate and undergraduate students took the lead in reviewing global studies on marine debris, uncovering overlooked sources of ocean trash and pointing toward actionable remedies.
Date: Oct 20 - -
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Research findings offer new insight into blood thinners and bone builders , articleBy studying the process through which organisms build crystal-strengthened tissues such as bones, teeth, shells, and corals, the team uncovered new clues for how to bioengineer synthetic blood thinners for applications in therapeutics and drug delivery.
Date: Sep 03 -
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Rethinking the future of medical packaging , videoKambiz Sadeghi, an Assistant Professor in Sustainable Biomaterials, and his team focus on improving the safety, sustainability, and effectiveness of medical packaging materials. The researchers hope to make healthcare packaging safer for patients while providing knowledge and feedback that helps designers develop more efficient packaging solutions.
Date: Sep 21 - -
Video ItemPackages undergo temperature and compression testing , video
Assistant Professor Eduardo Molina and his graduate students in Sustainable Biomaterials in the College of Natural Resources and Environment conduct research on a package's sensitivity to low temperature and high compression. Good packaging design requires researchers to think about protecting the goods inside the package from changes in external temperature and compression forces when they're moved through the shipping process.
Date: Oct 01 - -
Video ItemResearch focuses on creating greener chemicals , video
Gukeerat Kukal is a 4th year Ph.D. student in the Department of Sustainable Biomaterials. He is using flow biocatalysis, the process of using enzymes (biological catalysts) within a continuous flow system to carry out chemical reactions, allowing for better control, efficiency, and waste minimization.
Date: Mar 03 -
Graduate Fellowships open doors for learning
If you are a current or potential SBIO graduate student, you’ve probably realized the importance of finding ways to help cover the costs of college. Start your search for a fellowship by talking with our graduate program director or coordinator. They’ll have more details and information about the college fellowships listed below. You can also visit the VT Graduate School website to search for university and external fellowship opportunities.
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