Blue Sky finalists announced

24 February 2021

Michelle Balasso AFPA Australia nominee.

The 21 candidates from nine countries who are contestants for the Blue Sky Young Researchers and Innovation Awards have been named. Source: Timberbiz

Launched in 2016, the contest is a biennial effort to recognize, celebrate and promote some of the game-changing innovations being developed in the global forest sector.

The Blue Sky Young Researchers and Innovation Award collected proposals from aspiring scientists and young researchers who have conceived innovative solutions that could advance the forest-based bio-economy.

Three of the 21 candidates will receive one of three cash prizes and the opportunity to present their work to the International Council of Forest and Paper Association’s Global CEO Roundtable discussion to be held virtually on April 29.

An international judging panel has been assembled to assess the strength and potential of each entry and includes the following leaders from around the world with connections to industry, academia, and public policy:

Lyndall Bull, Forestry Officer at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN)
Barbara Tavora Jainchill, Programme Management Officer, Forest Affairs, with the UN Forum on Forests Secretariat
Fernando L. Garcia Bertolucci, Executive Director of Technology and Innovation at Suzano S.A. and Member of IUFRO
Professor Gil Garnier, Director of BioPRIA within the Department of Chemical Engineering at Monash University
John Innes, Dean of the Faculty of Forestry at University of British Columbia.

Dr. Bull offered her praise and support for the awards.

“On behalf of our international judging panel, I would like to congratulate all the finalists for the Blue Sky Young Researchers and Innovation Awards,” Dr Bull said.

“Each of the entrants offers innovative solutions to help maximize the contribution that sustainable forest products can make to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.”

ICFPA President Derek Nighbor said that in the face of the biggest health and economic crisis of our lifetimes, we are reminded that the global forestry sector has the potential to address some of our most urgent social, environmental, and economic challenges.

“Forestry workers and forest products are in the unique position to drive our move to a lower-carbon world through sustainable forest managment, mitigating pest and wildfire risks, advancing the forest bioeconomy, and building more with carbon-storing wood products.

“Today we recognize and celebrate the brilliant young minds whose disruptive ideas and breakthrough innovations will pave the way forward,” Mr Nighbor, who is also President and CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada, said.

To learn more about the Blue Sky Young Researchers and Innovation Awards, visit website: https://www.icfpa.org/

2020-2021 National Finalists

Nominees from AF&PA (United States)