New research members join the CRMR!
We are delighted to announce the arrival of eight new members to the CRMR. We invite you to join us in welcoming them!
Regular researchers
Alexandre Morin-Bernard
A member of the Ordre des ingénieurs forestiers du Québec and assistant professor in the Department of Wood and Forest Sciences, Alexandre is a passionate researcher specializing in the analysis of satellite imagery and LiDAR data. By integrating this information with forest and ecological sampling data, he assesses the impact of forestry practices, natural disturbances and climate change on forest ecosystems. With a master’s degree in wood and bio-based materials engineering (2020) and a PhD in forest sciences (2023), Alexandre is particularly interested in the interconnections between the different stages of the forestry value chain, from the natural ecosystem to the end user. His research aims to promote a better understanding and sustainable use of forest resources. His fields of expertise include improved forest inventory methods, forest growth and yield, remote sensing applied to forest ecosystems, airborne and satellite multispectral imagery, airborne and drone LiDAR, and dendrochronology.
Bertrand Laratte
A new Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering in the Department of Wood and Forest Sciences. He brings strong expertise and a commitment to innovation in the field of environmental engineering. His areas of expertise include life cycle assessment, material flow analysis, circular economy, eco-design and design decision support. As a new collaborator with CIRCERB and the Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Buildings, he will play a key role in developing innovative, sustainable solutions for the future of buildings and infrastructure.
Associate researchers
Ahmed Koubaa
Professor at the University of Quebec in Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Canada Research Chair in Wood Valorization, Characterization and Processing. He holds bachelor’s (1989) and master’s (1991) degrees in wood science from Université Laval, and a doctorate in paper engineering (1996) from Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. He has over 30 years’ experience in research on wood materials and wood-based composites. His research activities focus on wood quality characterization and the valorization of wood industry residues for the production of biomaterials and bioenergy, with a view to mitigating the effects of climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It has an extensive network of national and international collaborations. It is a member of several research groups and consortia in Quebec, Canada and abroad.
Diane Schorr
Diane is an expert researcher in advanced wood materials, currently holding a position at FPInnovations since October 2020. She leads innovative research projects focused on the durability and protection of wood products, the recycling of construction wood and the management of wood panel emissions, including formaldehyde and VOCs. In addition to her research, she assumes project management and technical staff supervision responsibilities, while actively mentoring student interns. Diane’s membership of the CRMR will boost collaborations with Corepan-Bois and offer future generations of wood materials researchers the opportunity to benefit from her expertise.
Fabrice Roussiere
A researcher at FPInnovations, Fabrice holds a PhD in materials engineering and specializes in renewable materials applications in construction. With a background in chemistry, he has developed expertise in working with wood, from chips to papermaking fibers. He focuses on the production of wood composite panels on a pilot and industrial scale, exploring new raw materials such as alternative species and low-grade wood. He has also contributed to the optimization of OSB mat structures and feasibility studies for wood fiber insulation panels. His career has been marked by fruitful collaborations, notably with Alain Cloutier on the recycling of MDF panels, and by his active role on the Corepan-Bois project monitoring committee. Thanks to his expertise and commitment, Fabrice continues to play a key role in innovation and sustainable development in the renewable materials sector.
Gabrielle Boivin
A qualified chemist and scientist at FPInnovations, she has nearly 10 years’ experience in the fields of wood protection and durability, specializing in wood finishes and modification treatments. More recently, she has turned her attention to the recycling and decontamination of end-of-life wood. Currently in charge of the “Circularity of fiber supply” project, she is exploring solutions for adding value to recycled fiber from CRD wood (construction, renovation, demolition). Her expertise is aligned with the axes of the Centre and the Corepan-Bois Consortium, to which she will contribute by mentoring students and participating in meetings.
Flavia Braghiroli
A professor at the University of Quebec in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, she specializes in the production, characterization and application of bio-based and carbon-based materials. Her research covers key areas such as waste management, carbon sequestration, bioenergy, rehabilitation of degraded sites, and water treatment. It also explores energy storage and conversion, and the use of these materials as catalyst supports. These lines of research draw on her solid academic and professional background, reinforcing the relevance of her expertise to our work.
Xiaodong Wang
Professor of Civil Engineering, specializing in eco-construction, in the Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering at the Rimouski campus of the Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR). Her research focuses on eco-construction, wood construction and bio-based building materials, the building envelope, building physics and green building technologies. She also explores design methods for wood structures, energy-efficient solutions for buildings, moisture risk management and control in buildings, and the development of bio-based composite and insulating materials for construction.