Targeted research to develop, demonstrate and
commercialize bioproducts, bioprocesses and bioenergy.
Birgitte Ahring, Ph.D.
Battelle Distinguished Professor and Director of the Bioproducts, Sciences and Engineering Laboratory at WSU Tri-Cities, Dr. Ahring participates in research in feedstock development, biomass conversion and fuel refining as part of the Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance. She is an internationally recognized microbiologist who studies the use of anaerobic bacteria — bacteria that exists in an oxygen-free environment — to produce biofuels and bioproducts, and to reduce waste. She has over 350 peer-reviewed publications and numerous patents related to renewable energy. Read more »
Hanwu Lei, Ph.D.
Dr. Lei’s work is in the BSysE (Bioenergy and Bioproducts Engineering), research emphasis area at the Bioproducts, Sciences and Engineering Laboratory (BSEL) on the WSU Tri-Cities campus. His focus is on discovering and applying novel approaches for renewable energy and value added process development of agricultural feedstocks and products. Together with his team and collaborators, he is working on a number of exciting research projects such as the design and development of processing technology, optimization of processes, reaction kinetics, and process modeling, and value added product development. Read more »
Bin Yang, Ph.D.
Dr. Bin Yang works in the BSysE (Bioenergy and Bioproducts Engineering), research emphasis area at the Bioproducts, Sciences and Engineering Laboratory on the WSU Tri-Cities campus. Dr. Yang has dedicated most of his career to the development of renewable energy technologies with particular emphasis on production of ethanol and other commodity products from cellulosic biomass. His goals are to further understand fundamental mechanism of bioprocessing technologies for cellulosic fuels, advance cutting edge technologies and facilitate the commercialization process as well as pay particular consideration of the big picture with improving our knowledge of emerging technologies to meet near and long term needs worldwide. Read more »
Xiao Zhang, Ph.D.
Currently an assistant professor in the School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Dr. Xiao Zhang has more than 15 years of research experience in the field of pulping, papermaking and forest biorefinery. He brings that knowledge to the feedstock development portion of the Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance project. Read more »