EPNOE Junior Scientist Award 2021 to Yuanyuan Li
Yuanyuan Li, Assistant Professor of Biocomposites at CBH and WWSC, is the winner of the European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence (EPNOE) Junior Scientist Award 2021.
“It's my great honor to receive such an important award. I am grateful for the recognition of my work in the polysaccharide field and appreciate the help from my colleagues and collaborators. This award is a boost for me,” says Yuanyuan Li.
Yuanyuan Li’s work is focused on wood nanostructure control as well as polysaccharide chemistry development towards wood nanotechnology applications, including transparent wood. Her main idea is to create cellulosic nanomaterials, not by the common bottom-up approach exemplified by nanocellulosics, but by eco-friendly top-down approaches starting with wood. The existing cellulose nanofibril orientation in wood is utilized, as well as the hierarchical structure and porosity.
"I have been working on wood and cellulose nanotechnologies for years, focusing on wood and cellulose nanostructure control in order to extend property range and provide new functions. Some examples include transparent wood, conductive wood, wood based electronics, and transparent paper,"says Yuanyuan Li.
Yuanyuan Li received her doctorate from Nanjing Forestry University in China and also visited University of Maryland, USA, as a visiting researcher during her doctoral studies. After that she came to CBH as a postdoctoral fellow and was promoted to assistant professor in 2020.