Bioprocessing, Pulp & Paper, Biomass, Fractionation, Biofuels, Renewable Technologies, Biomaterials, Enzymes, Waste Valorization & Biorefinery Assessment

Dr. Lew Christopher holds a Ph.D. in Biochemical Engineering (Lignocellulose Bioprocessing) and an M.S. in Chemical Engineering (Wood Science and Technology). He has close to 30 years of industrial and academic experience in the field of bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass to biofuels, biochemicals, and biomaterials. He has worked as an industry research scientist and conducted large trials for the evaluation and commercialization of enzyme-based biotechnologies. Lew has held faculty positions in departments of chemistry, biotechnology, chemical, biological, and environmental engineering in the U.S., Canada, and South Africa. He has managed multi-million-dollar projects and cross-functional teams of faculty, researchers, and students leading two large multidisciplinary R&D Centers in the Energy and Environmental Sustainability domain. His research mission and passion are to add value to the growing Bioeconomy by applying an integrated biorefinery approach to the development of renewable energy technologies and biobased products, an area where he has made over 400 technical and scientific contributions which includes several books, book chapters, patents, and over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles. He has also delivered a number of keynotes and invited lectures, chaired several international renewable energy conferences, and served on the editorial boards of international chemical and biotechnology journals, advisory boards, and professional societies. Lew is noted as an expert advisor in bioenergy projects and program assessment for federal agencies, including DOE, USDA, NSF, and EPA. Contact Lew.