Art RagauskasProfessor School of Chemistry and Biochemistry Ph.D., University of Western Ontario, 1985

Video: Cu-catalyzed Green Chemistry Oxidation of Lignin Model Compounds

Brief Bio and Research Summary:

Professor Art Ragauskas holds the Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Alternative Energy and is a Fellow of the International Academy of Wood Science and TAPPI. Our research program at Georgia Institute of Technology is seeking to understand and exploit innovative sustainable lignocellulosics. Our multifaceted program seeks to develop new and improved applications for nature’s premiere renewable biopolymers including cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. To accomplish this goal and demonstrate this vision, our research activities are directed at developing innovative processes for converting lignocellulosics derived from into innovative biomaterials and biofuels. Achieving this goal requires the pursuit of research in several fields of study including lignocellulosic fiber chemistry/physical properties, carbohydrate, lignin and extractives chemistry, nanobioterials, biotechnology, material and polymer science. These research studies are supported by their research expertise in advanced spectroscopy, imaging, nanotechnology, chemoenzymatic biotechnology, pretreatments, cold plasma, composites, bleaching and pulping technologies.

• Renewable Energy
• Chemistry of Modern Biorefinery
• Enzymatic and chemical catalytic reactions for the conversion biopolymers to bioethanol, biodiesel and related biofuels
• Application of cellulosics for green composites
• Synthesis of novel nanocellulose structures for barrier and composite applications
• Topochemical modification of lignocellulosic fibers
• Advanced bleaching and pulping technologies
• Spectroscopic and imaging of lignocellulosics
• Green chemistry synthesis and catalytic oxidation
• Carbohydrate/polysaccharide chemistry
• Photo-oxidation/photoaging of biopolymers
• Kraft-mechanical pulping and bleaching
• Wood Chemistry

This research program is sponsored by NSF, USDA, DOE, GA Traditional Industry Program, a consortium of industry partners, and several fellowship programs  Currently, Dr. Ragauskas manages a research group of eleven graduate students, nine postdoctoral research fellows, one research scientist, and two visiting scientist. He is program leader for a GA Tech Focused Research Program in Biofuels, BioPower and Biomaterials and is Theme Leader for the GA Tech, Imperial College London and Oak Ridge National Laboratory AtlanTICC Alliance in Biomass to BioFuels, BioProducts and BioPower program and Team Leader for an industrial consortium program titled Fiber Modification/Fiber Fiber Bonding. His students have won several awards including the ACS graduate research award.

Ragauskas has published +220 papers, patents and conference proceedings. He is an Associate Editor for Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining,  BioEnergy Research, Industrial Biotechnology, J. Pulp and Paper Science, Holzforschung, Taiwan Journal of Forest Service, J. Wood Chemistry and Technology and has served on several advisory boards and review panels, including: European Commission Research Directorate, National Science Academy, J. Paul Getty Trust, NSF, USDA, DOE, NSERC, Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research, Swedish VINN Excellence Center, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, and Finnish Academy of Science. Ragauskas has been an invited visiting professor at Universidade da Beira Interior, Portugal; Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden; Royal Institute of Technology/ STFi, Stockholm, Sweden and South China University of Technology, China. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Western Ontario in 1985 as a National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada Doctoral Fellow.