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Wood Technology Research Centre

PEOPLE

  • Head
    Associate Professor Clemens Altaner
    • Associate Professor
    • School of Forestry
    • Associate ProfessorSchool of Forestry
    I am a trained wood scientist with a focus on molecular aspects of plant cell walls. My research includes fundamental and applied projects.
    At the fundamental end I am working on a better understanding of the supramolecular architecture of plant cell walls in particular the structure of cellulose fibrils and how this structure determines macroscopic wood properties. This research involves specialised IR and NMR spectroscopy as well as various forms of diffraction.
    Most of my current external research funding is for applied research on wood quality attracting funding from several sources. Particularly exciting is my involvement as science team leader of the NZDFI, which envisages New Zealand as a world-leader in breeding ground-durable eucalypts, and to be home to a valuable sustainable hardwood industry based on eucalypt forests, by 2050.
    As a biomaterial, wood is highly variable. This variability poses significant problems to the wood processing industry. My work is trying to reduce the variability of wood and by that gaining efficiency in the wood processing industry. The major factor restricting the incorporation of wood properties into tree breeding programmes is the lack of fast but robust analytical techniques. Therefore development of such assessments is a key part of the research, many of which are only available in this field at our world-leading NZ School of Forestry.
    I am a trained wood scientist with a focus on molecular aspects of plant cell walls. My research includes fundamental and applied projects.
    At the fundamental end I am working on a better understanding of the supramolecular architecture of plant cell walls in particular the structure of cellulose fibrils and how this structure determines macroscopic wood properties. This research involves specialised IR and NMR spectroscopy as well as various forms of diffraction.
    Most of my current external research funding is for applied research on wood quality attracting funding from several sources. Particularly exciting is my involvement as science team leader of the NZDFI, which envisages New Zealand as a world-leader in breeding ground-durable eucalypts, and to be home to a valuable sustainable hardwood industry based on eucalypt forests, by 2050.
    As a biomaterial, wood is highly variable. This variability poses significant problems to the wood processing industry. My work is trying to reduce the variability of wood and by that gaining efficiency in the wood processing industry. The major factor restricting the incorporation of wood properties into tree breeding programmes is the lack of fast but robust analytical techniques. Therefore development of such assessments is a key part of the research, many of which are only available in this field at our world-leading NZ School of Forestry.
    • Faculty of Engineering
    • Registered to supervise Master's/Doctoral students
    • 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
    • 13 Climate Action
    Fields of Research
    • Wood processing
    • Tree improvement (incl. selection and breeding)
    • Forestry product quality assessment
    • Forestry biomass and bioproducts
    • Timber, pulp and paper
  • Professor Luis Apiolaza
    • Professor
    • School of Forestry
    • ProfessorSchool of Forestry

    I am a forest engineer and quantitative geneticist, fascinated by variability in natural and human-made forest ecosystems. I focus my efforts on characterizing and exploiting wood variability trends, in an effort to increase site productivity and forest value. I collaborate with domestication and breeding projects, including the New Zealand Radiata Pine Breeding Programme and Drylands Forest Initiative (durable eucalypts).

    My personal website contains copies of all my publications. https://luis.apiolaza.net

    I am a forest engineer and quantitative geneticist, fascinated by variability in natural and human-made forest ecosystems. I focus my efforts on characterizing and exploiting wood variability trends, in an effort to increase site productivity and forest value. I collaborate with domestication and breeding projects, including the New Zealand Radiata Pine Breeding Programme and Drylands Forest Initiative (durable eucalypts).

    My personal website contains copies of all my publications. https://luis.apiolaza.net

    • Faculty of Engineering
    • Registered to supervise Master's/Doctoral students
    • 15 Life on Land
    • 13 Climate Action
    Fields of Research
    • Statistical and quantitative genetics
    • Forestry sciences
    • Applied statistics
    • Tree improvement (incl. selection and breeding)
    • Modelling and simulation
    • Forest ecosystems
  • Professor Andy Buchanan
    • Emeritus Professor
    • Civil and Environmental Engineering
    • Emeritus ProfessorCivil and Environmental Engineering
    Main research is the development of innovative structural timber building systems, using post-tensioned large spans in single storey and multi-storey timber buildings. Related research interests include fire resistance of timber structures, connections in timber structures, structural fire design methods and earthquake engineering.
    Main research is the development of innovative structural timber building systems, using post-tensioned large spans in single storey and multi-storey timber buildings. Related research interests include fire resistance of timber structures, connections in timber structures, structural fire design methods and earthquake engineering.
    • Faculty of Engineering
  • Associate Professor David Evison
    • Associate Professor
    • School of Forestry
    • Associate ProfessorSchool of Forestry
    Impact of the Emissions Trading Scheme on the profitability of forestry in New Zealand. Analysis of investment returns from rural land uses including forestry. Estimation of market demand and supply functions, and derived demand for forestry products.
    Impact of the Emissions Trading Scheme on the profitability of forestry in New Zealand. Analysis of investment returns from rural land uses including forestry. Estimation of market demand and supply functions, and derived demand for forestry products.
    • Faculty of Engineering
    • Registered to supervise Master's/Doctoral students
    • Collaborative research projects
    • Consulting & advisory services
    • Industry partnerships & innovation
    • Media enquiries
    • Outreach & community engagement
    • Policy advice & government consultation
  • Professor Michael Hayes
    • Professor
    • Electrical and Computer Engineering
    • ProfessorElectrical and Computer Engineering
    • Faculty of Engineering
    • Registered to supervise Master's/Doctoral students
    Fields of Research
    • Signal processing
    • Signal transduction
    • Control engineering, mechatronics and robotics
    • Electrical engineering
    • Electrical circuits and systems
    • Photogrammetry and remote sensing
    • Computer vision
    • Electronics, sensors and digital hardware
    • Analog electronics and interfaces
    • Engineering electromagnetics
    • Acoustics and acoustical devices; waves
  • Doctor Bill Heffernan
    • Principal Research Engineer
    • Electric Power Engineering Centre
    • Principal Research EngineerElectric Power Engineering Centre
    High Frequency Power Electronics, Magnetics and Advanced Fabrication Techniques, including application to power supplies, drives, inverters and rectifiers.
    Investigation of interactions between non-linear loads and sources and the power grid.
    LED lighting, including energy efficiency, light quality and power quality issues.
    Instrumentation and Control Systems, design and application to electrical and process technologies.
    Sensor and Signal Conditioning circuit design for electrical, physical and environmental measurements.
    Electrification of Industrial Processes.
    High Frequency Power Electronics, Magnetics and Advanced Fabrication Techniques, including application to power supplies, drives, inverters and rectifiers.
    Investigation of interactions between non-linear loads and sources and the power grid.
    LED lighting, including energy efficiency, light quality and power quality issues.
    Instrumentation and Control Systems, design and application to electrical and process technologies.
    Sensor and Signal Conditioning circuit design for electrical, physical and environmental measurements.
    Electrification of Industrial Processes.
    • Faculty of Engineering
    • Registered to supervise Master's/Doctoral students
    • 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
    • Collaborative research projects
    • Consulting & advisory services
    • Industry partnerships & innovation
    • Technical expertise & support
    Fields of Research
    • Electronic instrumentation
    • Industrial electronics
    • Power electronics
    • Electronic sensors
    • Engineering electromagnetics
  • Doctor Lan Le-Ngoc
    • Senior Research Engineer
    • Mechanical Engineering
    • Senior Research EngineerMechanical Engineering

    Lan Le-Ngoc is a member of the CryoLab research team at the University of Canterbury.

     

    He has 35 years of experience in theoretical and experimental research on dynamic systems, machine learning, and AI in engineering, computational mechanics, instrumentation and controls, and digital signal processing. Specific applications include ocean wave mechanics and wave energy converters, cutting processes of natural materials, dynamic behavior of continuous band cutting devices, active vibration control, machine tool dynamics, dynamic properties of wood, coupled human-machine systems, and upper limb motion and strength assessment for rehabilitation, as well as mobile robot navigation.

     

    Commercial services include finite element stress and vibration analyses; developing simulations for dynamic systems (e.g., large motion swing dynamics, stress propagation in timber poles, ocean wave energy converters, internal ballistics for gun silencers, and hydrodynamics of jet pumps); and developing instrumentation and software for data acquisition and analysis for various experiments, including the performance of boats and propulsion systems, impact testing of timber poles, wireless systems for measuring cryogenic temperatures in rotating systems, vibration analyses of wind turbines, band saws, and circular saws, and battery-powered corers for hardwood.

     

    He is familiar with Fortran, C/C++, LabVIEW, LabWindows CVI, Visual Basic, MATLAB, Python and its scientific packages, and Julia.

    Lan Le-Ngoc is a member of the CryoLab research team at the University of Canterbury.

     

    He has 35 years of experience in theoretical and experimental research on dynamic systems, machine learning, and AI in engineering, computational mechanics, instrumentation and controls, and digital signal processing. Specific applications include ocean wave mechanics and wave energy converters, cutting processes of natural materials, dynamic behavior of continuous band cutting devices, active vibration control, machine tool dynamics, dynamic properties of wood, coupled human-machine systems, and upper limb motion and strength assessment for rehabilitation, as well as mobile robot navigation.

     

    Commercial services include finite element stress and vibration analyses; developing simulations for dynamic systems (e.g., large motion swing dynamics, stress propagation in timber poles, ocean wave energy converters, internal ballistics for gun silencers, and hydrodynamics of jet pumps); and developing instrumentation and software for data acquisition and analysis for various experiments, including the performance of boats and propulsion systems, impact testing of timber poles, wireless systems for measuring cryogenic temperatures in rotating systems, vibration analyses of wind turbines, band saws, and circular saws, and battery-powered corers for hardwood.

     

    He is familiar with Fortran, C/C++, LabVIEW, LabWindows CVI, Visual Basic, MATLAB, Python and its scientific packages, and Julia.

    • Faculty of Engineering
    • Registered to supervise Master's/Doctoral students
  • Doctor Hyungsuk Lim
    • Senior Lecturer Above the Bar
    • School of Forestry
    • Senior Lecturer Above the BarSchool of Forestry
    I am interested in conducting comprehensive research on the development of engineered wood products, the structural performance of timber components and structures, and the evaluation of timber building technology, which would expand markets for timber owners and producers.
    I am interested in conducting comprehensive research on the development of engineered wood products, the structural performance of timber components and structures, and the evaluation of timber building technology, which would expand markets for timber owners and producers.
    • Faculty of Engineering
    • Registered to supervise Master's/Doctoral students
    • 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
    • 15 Life on Land
    • 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
    • 13 Climate Action
    Fields of Research
    • Timber engineering
    • Wood processing
  • Professor Bruce Manley
    • Professor
    • School of Forestry
    • ProfessorSchool of Forestry
    Research interests include the development of methodology for the valuation of plantations, modelling of forest estates to incorporate wood and non-wood benefits and log and wood quality & linkage to products and markets.
    Research interests include the development of methodology for the valuation of plantations, modelling of forest estates to incorporate wood and non-wood benefits and log and wood quality & linkage to products and markets.
    • Faculty of Engineering
    • Registered to supervise Master's/Doctoral students
  • Professor Shusheng Pang
    • Professor
    • Chemical and Process Engineering
    • ProfessorChemical and Process Engineering
    Research interests include woody biomass energy and bioliquid fuels, green hydrogen from biomass, CO2 capture and reuse, wood based composites, wood processing with strengths on drying of wood and wood based materials, wood quality and wood properties related to drying. In addition, he is interested in drying of particular materials, evaporation, and heat and mass transfer processes. Specific research interests are:
    - Thermal gasification of woody biomass for energy and liquid fuels.
    - Green hydrogen production from biomass through thermochemical processes.
    - CO2 capture and reuse.
    - Pyrolysis of waste plastics and woody biomass for liquid fuels.
    - Product development and processing technologies for wood – plastic composites.
    - Kiln drying of softwood timber: drying modelling, model validation and practical application.
    - Modelling of drying stress and board deformation for kiln drying of softwood timber.
    - Drying related wood properties, thermal dynamics and wood-water relationships.
    - Quality drying of timber: studies on wood discolouration, checking, residual drying stress, warp and instability.
    - Fibre processing (particularly on drying) and mat hot pressing for MDF production.
    - Modelling of veneer drying for production of plywood and laminated veneer lumber (LVL).
    - LVL hot pressing with microwave preheating.
    - New technologies and environmental issues in drying of wood and wood based materials.
    - Alternative drying medium for high quality drying.
    - Kiln emission quantification and reduction in wood and wood product processing.
    Research interests include woody biomass energy and bioliquid fuels, green hydrogen from biomass, CO2 capture and reuse, wood based composites, wood processing with strengths on drying of wood and wood based materials, wood quality and wood properties related to drying. In addition, he is interested in drying of particular materials, evaporation, and heat and mass transfer processes. Specific research interests are:
    - Thermal gasification of woody biomass for energy and liquid fuels.
    - Green hydrogen production from biomass through thermochemical processes.
    - CO2 capture and reuse.
    - Pyrolysis of waste plastics and woody biomass for liquid fuels.
    - Product development and processing technologies for wood – plastic composites.
    - Kiln drying of softwood timber: drying modelling, model validation and practical application.
    - Modelling of drying stress and board deformation for kiln drying of softwood timber.
    - Drying related wood properties, thermal dynamics and wood-water relationships.
    - Quality drying of timber: studies on wood discolouration, checking, residual drying stress, warp and instability.
    - Fibre processing (particularly on drying) and mat hot pressing for MDF production.
    - Modelling of veneer drying for production of plywood and laminated veneer lumber (LVL).
    - LVL hot pressing with microwave preheating.
    - New technologies and environmental issues in drying of wood and wood based materials.
    - Alternative drying medium for high quality drying.
    - Kiln emission quantification and reduction in wood and wood product processing.
    • Faculty of Engineering
    • Registered to supervise Master's/Doctoral students
    • 7 Affordable and Clean Energy
    • 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
    • 13 Climate Action
    Fields of Research
    • Energy generation, conversion and storage (excl. chemical and electrical)
    • Wood processing
    • Chemical and thermal processes in energy and combustion
  • Professor Pieter Pelser
    • Professor
    • School of Biological Sciences
    • ProfessorSchool of Biological Sciences
    The evolutionary history of Tribe Senecioneae:
    Senecioneae is one of the largest tribes in the Asteraceae (ca. 3,100 species and 155 genera), has a nearly cosmopolitan distribution, and shows remarkable morphological and ecological diversity. To better understand the evolutionary success of Senecioneae and similarly large plant groups, we are taking a molecular phylogenetics approach to study the evolutionary relationships and mode and tempo of diversification of the Senecioneae

    The biodiversity and conservation of Philippine Rafflesia:
    The genus Rafflesia (Rafflesiaceae) is one of the few parasitic plants that are entirely contained within the tissue of their host plants. Rafflesia only emerges to produce its spectacular flowers, which are the largest of all flowering plants. Our studies of Philippine Rafflesia aim to make this charismatic genus an icon of conservation by demonstrating how knowledge of the taxonomic diversity, ecology, and evolutionary history of Rafflesia contributes to its conservation.

    Co’s Digital Flora of the Philippines:
    Co’s Digital Flora of the Philippines (CDFP; www.philippineplants.org) is an online checklist of Philippine vascular plants that aims to present a continuously updated account of all native and naturalized species of vascular plants in the Philippines with diagnostic photographs for each taxon. It is the only publicly available overview of the vascular plants of the Philippines.
    The evolutionary history of Tribe Senecioneae:
    Senecioneae is one of the largest tribes in the Asteraceae (ca. 3,100 species and 155 genera), has a nearly cosmopolitan distribution, and shows remarkable morphological and ecological diversity. To better understand the evolutionary success of Senecioneae and similarly large plant groups, we are taking a molecular phylogenetics approach to study the evolutionary relationships and mode and tempo of diversification of the Senecioneae

    The biodiversity and conservation of Philippine Rafflesia:
    The genus Rafflesia (Rafflesiaceae) is one of the few parasitic plants that are entirely contained within the tissue of their host plants. Rafflesia only emerges to produce its spectacular flowers, which are the largest of all flowering plants. Our studies of Philippine Rafflesia aim to make this charismatic genus an icon of conservation by demonstrating how knowledge of the taxonomic diversity, ecology, and evolutionary history of Rafflesia contributes to its conservation.

    Co’s Digital Flora of the Philippines:
    Co’s Digital Flora of the Philippines (CDFP; www.philippineplants.org) is an online checklist of Philippine vascular plants that aims to present a continuously updated account of all native and naturalized species of vascular plants in the Philippines with diagnostic photographs for each taxon. It is the only publicly available overview of the vascular plants of the Philippines.
    • Faculty of Science
    • Registered to supervise Master's/Doctoral students
    • 15 Life on Land
    • Collaborative research projects
    • Consulting & advisory services
    • Media enquiries
    • Outreach & community engagement
    Fields of Research
    • Biological sciences
    • Environmental sciences
    • Ecology
    • Evolutionary biology
    • Plant biology
    • Environmental management
    • Population ecology
    • Terrestrial ecology
    • Biogeography and phylogeography
    • Evolutionary ecology
    • Evolutionary impacts of climate change
    • Host-parasite interactions
    • Phylogeny and comparative analysis
    • Plant and fungus systematics and taxonomy
    • Speciation and extinction
    • Biosecurity science and invasive species ecology
    • Conservation and biodiversity
    • Wildlife and habitat management
  • Doctor Monika Sharma
    • Research Technician
    • School of Forestry
    • Research TechnicianSchool of Forestry
    Dr Monika Sharma is a Research Technician in the University of Canterbury’s School of Forestry. Building on her PhD research — where she developed rapid, reliable techniques to screen young radiata pines for stiffness and dimensional stability—she now provides research and technical support across the School.
     
    Monika applies her expertise in wood quality assessment, mechanical characterization, data collection, and experimental design to strengthen the School’s capability in tree breeding, wood science, and industry aligned research. Her work supports both academic programmes and sector focused innovation, contributing to advances in early age wood quality evaluation and broader improvements in forestry and wood product performance.
    Dr Monika Sharma is a Research Technician in the University of Canterbury’s School of Forestry. Building on her PhD research — where she developed rapid, reliable techniques to screen young radiata pines for stiffness and dimensional stability—she now provides research and technical support across the School.
     
    Monika applies her expertise in wood quality assessment, mechanical characterization, data collection, and experimental design to strengthen the School’s capability in tree breeding, wood science, and industry aligned research. Her work supports both academic programmes and sector focused innovation, contributing to advances in early age wood quality evaluation and broader improvements in forestry and wood product performance.
    • Faculty of Engineering
    • Collaborative research projects
    • Consulting & advisory services
    • Technical expertise & support
    Fields of Research
    • Forestry product quality assessment
    • Wood processing
    • Tree improvement (incl. selection and breeding)
  • Doctor Marie Squire
    • Principal Research Specialist
    • School of Physical & Chemical Sciences
    • Principal Research SpecialistSchool of Physical & Chemical Sciences
    Dr Marie Squire is a Principal Research and Instrumentation Specialist in Te Kura Matū | School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, where she provides expert support across UC’s analytical chemistry and spectroscopy infrastructure. After completing her Chemistry studies at UC, she undertook postdoctoral research at the University of Oxford before returning to New Zealand for roles at the University of Otago and later UC. 
     
    She leads analytical instrument services for SPCS, including Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Mass Spectrometry (MS), and Liquid Chromatography (HPLC/LC). Her work spans instrument maintenance, troubleshooting, researcher training, method development, and data interpretation. Operating at the intersection of chemistry, biochemistry, environmental science, and materials science, she co‑supervises research students, contributes to undergraduate teaching, and supports outreach and capability development.
     
    Her specialist expertise lies in applying NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and chromatographic separation techniques to complex biochemical, chemical, and materials‑focused research challenges.
    Dr Marie Squire is a Principal Research and Instrumentation Specialist in Te Kura Matū | School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, where she provides expert support across UC’s analytical chemistry and spectroscopy infrastructure. After completing her Chemistry studies at UC, she undertook postdoctoral research at the University of Oxford before returning to New Zealand for roles at the University of Otago and later UC. 
     
    She leads analytical instrument services for SPCS, including Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Mass Spectrometry (MS), and Liquid Chromatography (HPLC/LC). Her work spans instrument maintenance, troubleshooting, researcher training, method development, and data interpretation. Operating at the intersection of chemistry, biochemistry, environmental science, and materials science, she co‑supervises research students, contributes to undergraduate teaching, and supports outreach and capability development.
     
    Her specialist expertise lies in applying NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and chromatographic separation techniques to complex biochemical, chemical, and materials‑focused research challenges.
    • Faculty of Science
    • Registered to supervise Master's/Doctoral students
    • 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
    • 3 Good Health and Well Being
    • 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
    • Collaborative research projects
    • Consulting & advisory services
    • Industry partnerships & innovation
    • Outreach & community engagement
    • Technical expertise & support
    Fields of Research
    • Chemical sciences
    • Analytical chemistry
    • Analytical spectrometry
    • Instrumental methods (excl. immunological and bioassay methods)
    • Characterisation of biological macromolecules
    • Organic chemistry

Alternative names

WTRC

Other Concentration contact

  • University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
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