Research Graduate Assistantships Available!!

We currently have M.S. and Ph.D. research graduate assistantship positions and stipend available for Fall 2021. The graduate program is concentrated in Bio-Based Products and Wood Science and Technology Wood Science at the Department of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries at The University of Tennessee. (see details about the Ph.D. and M.S. program)The research directions include, but are not limited to:

(1) Novel biomass fractionation: isolate cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose, and bioproducts using creative and green chemistry;

(2) Synthesis of polymer/plastics: design and synthesize polymers and copolymers from bio-derived small compounds and bio-derived macromolecules (nanocellulose and lignin);

(3) Design of smart materials: chemical modification of nanocellulose/lignin for functional materials, and fabrication of smart materials (stimulus-response reactive materials) with a combination of 3D printing techniques;

(4) Catalytic biorefinery: catalytic conversion of lignocellulosic materials into high-value chemicals and platform compounds;

(5) Nanotechnology: deploy biomass efficiently by using genetically modified plant feedstock.

(6) We also welcome your innovative research ideas that can align with our group's overarching goal.

Working in Li's group, you will access and collaborate with world-class scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (the largest national lab by size and by annual budget in US DOE system), and you are also able to access 10 research and education centers located across the USA.

Interested candidates in Wood Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Polymer/Material Science, and etc. are very welcome to apply! Please see the Graduate School at the University of Tennessee for admission and graduate student life information; or Contact Me for research and other questions.

New! University of Tennessee ranks 44th among all public universities and 104th nationally, according to the 2020 U.S. News and World Report (https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/university-of-tennessee-3530).