Research into sustainable innovation awarded

Ivana Amorim Dias has won the Blue Sky Young Researchers and Innovation Award 2022-2023, which is promoted in Brazil by the International Council for Forest and Paper Associations (ICFPA) and locally coordinated by Indústria Brasileira de Árvores (Ibá).

A graduate in forestry engineering from the Federal University of Recôncavo da Bahia, and a master and doctoral student from the Federal University of Paraná, the researcher won the award for a project under the guidance of Professor Pedro Henrique Gonzalez de Cademartori, in partnership with Suzano. The objective was to develop sustainable processes to make products with high added value, such as transforming wood residues by burning, and generating bio-oil with high application potential.

Commenting on her award, Dias said: “Participating in the award was significant for my career. In addition to bringing the research to greater visibility, it was important for me, as a woman, and I believe that for all other women that we have competence and deserve this space.”

First awarded in 2016, the Blue Sky Young Researchers and Innovation Award invites proposals from researchers aged up to 30 with innovative ideas that expand the contribution of the forest-based sector in the low-carbon economy, targeting industrial operations and forestry, as well as the supply chain. The most recent theme, ‘Building a low carbon economy with forests and forest products positive for the climate’, attracted 14 candidates from around the world.