On November 26, BPI hosted an Open House at the Pulp and Paper Centre (PPC) and welcomed over 150 attendees including industry partners, researchers and colleagues to showcase the research activities and the newly renovated facilities in the building. This event inaugurated an exciting new chapter in the Institute’s history as BPI introduced its state-of-the-art research and innovations to advance the circular economy through sustainably sourced bioproducts. Not only did the Open House mark a significant milestone externally but also celebrated the remarkable advancements its researchers and staff made during the pandemic.
Dean James Olson opened the event with a welcome address and as a special guest we enjoyed the company of Emeritus Professor Richard Kerekes, the founder of PPC. BPI premiered its introductory video highlighting the Institute’s mission, vision and values. Guests were then given a tour of the facilities, including lab demonstrations, poster presentations and invited to participate in interactive activities to win exciting prizes. Prof. Xiaotao Bi, Director of Clean Energy Research Center, shared that “the event was well organized and coordinated, particularly the lab tour event, [which] attracted a lot of interest from visitors.”
“I am extremely grateful to be able to participate”, said Niloofar Alipoor, Lab Manager of the Foster's Advanced Material group, adding "The event provided an opportunity to showcase the green functional materials applicability in numerous industrial fields such as paper making, wood production, automotive manufacturing and more.” NSERC Student Researcher Rynn Zhang who won the prize draw said “I met so many cool and passionate researchers! The Open House was a super informative way of participation."
Orlando Rojas, BPI Scientific Director, welcomed all the guests from industry, provincial and federal governments, and UBC associated faculties/departments and acknowledged those who contributed to transforming PPC to a world-leading biobased innovation hub. He also expressed his appreciation for BPI professors, researchers and staff members - "Without their wonderful teamwork, it wouldn't have been possible to create such an engaging and inspiring Open House. We will continue to develop more venues and channels to reach out to broader communities, to share our vision and to facilitate collaborative spaces for creating a more sustainable future."
