Dr. Yale Zhu has been named one of Pulp & Paper Canada’s 2026 Top 10 Under 40, recognizing his work advancing sustainable materials and forest-sector innovation.
As Chief Technology Officer of DicinFoam, Zhu is leading the scale-up of a biodegradable wood-fibre foam technology he co-developed while working as a postdoctoral researcher with Dr. Feng Jiang at UBC’s BioProducts Institute.
DicinFoam emerged from a partnership with the Wet’suwet’en First Nation through its business arm, Yinka Dene Economic Development Limited Partnership, led by President and CEO Reg Ogen. The Nation supplied forest materials for the research, helped secure funding and now leads the Indigenous-owned commercialization of the technology.
The process creates value from wildfire- and insect-damaged wood and other forest residues by transforming them into sustainable protective packaging and building insulation. A new pilot plant can produce up to 100 tonnes of biodegradable foam annually.
The initiative was recently featured by Canada’s National Observer, CBC News and CBC Radio’s On the Coast, bringing national attention to its innovative technology and partnership-driven approach.
Further reading:
- Canada’s National Observer: First Nation-led wood foam project
- CBC News: Wet’suwet’en First Nation and UBC turn wood waste into biodegradable foam
- CBC Radio’s On the Coast: Interview with Yale Zhu
- Pulp & Paper Canada: Yale Zhu’s Top 10 Under 40 profile
