BPI Research Day 2025 was held on May 2 at the UBC Life Sciences Centre, welcoming over 260 attendees from 20 academic, industry, and government organizations. With the ongoing theme “Connecting & Empowering the Next-Gen Innovators,” the event focused on supporting early-career researchers and building cross-sector connections in the bioeconomy.
The day opened with welcome remarks from Laurel Schafer, Department Head of Chemistry, and James Olson, Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science. Scientific Director Orlando Rojas provided an institute update, and the program was emceed by Assistant Professor Gregory Paradis.
The Poster Competition featured 46 presenters, including students and postdocs. Judging was conducted by a panel of 8 faculty members, 7 industry experts, 4 staff, and 12 HQPs. Best Poster Awards went to PhD students Alexandra Rousseau and Elizabeth Dobrzanski, and undergraduate student Maria Lauren. Postdoc Lucas Bauman received the EDI.I Excellence Award. People’s Choice Awards went to PhD students Tina Raeisi Gahrooee and Adel Jalaee.
Keynote speakers included Dr. Kimberly Osten from FPInnovations, who presented on bio-based barrier coatings for packaging, and Dr. Haibo Feng from UBC Wood Science, who spoke on applications of bioproducts in construction.
The event concluded with closing remarks from Orlando Rojas, who reflected on the importance of partnerships in advancing BPI’s mission. He acknowledged the outstanding contributions of the young researchers who participated in the poster competition, as well as the faculty members and industry guests who engaged with and supported them throughout the day. Research Day 2025 highlighted how collaboration across disciplines and sectors plays a vital role in shaping the next generation of scientific leaders—laying the foundation for a more sustainable and innovative future.
Explore the event highlights on our YouTube playlist.
- Welcome Address - Dr. Laurel Schafer, Head of Chemistry Department
- Welcome Address - Dr. James Olson, Dean, Faculty of Applied Science
- BPI Update - Dr. Orlando Rojas, BPI Scientific Director
- Keynote - Dr. Kimberly Osten, Research Scientist, FP Innovations
- Keynote - Dr. Haibo Feng, Assistant Professor, Wood Science
- Award Ceremony & Closing - Orlando Rojas, Gregory Paradis, Kwang-Ho Kim, Qingshi Tu