Forests | Interview with Dr. Zhichao Lou, the Committee Member of the 4th International Electronic Conference on Forests

1. Could you introduce your current research focus and provide an update on your progress?

Nowadays, my group is focused on solving the key scientific and technological problems in the development and industrialization of bamboo-based green, environment-friendly and sustainable building materials under the support of the National Key R&D Program of China (‘Research on key technology development and industrialization demonstration of high-strength bamboo-based structural materials based on innovative synergy of unit and adhesive’).

Through this project, a key technical system along with a full set of corresponding parameters for producing flattened bamboo board-based structural materials should be established, including a novel technology for saturated steam softening and floating crack-free flattening of bamboo, a novel type of environment-friendly adhesive with high wettability which is suitable for assembly, lengthening, hot-pressing and gluing of flattened bamboo boards, and the corresponding innovative bamboo lengthening and assembly methods. The environmental impact and carbon footprint analysis model and method of material creation process based on life cycle assessment will be developed to guide the extensive application of bamboo-based structural materials in green and environment-friendly buildings.

2. Have you encountered any challenges in your research? How did you overcome them? Could you share your experience?

My Ph.D. major is materials physics and chemistry, not forest engineering. The corresponding thesis is on the application research of inorganic materials in biosensors. Thus, when I began investigating bamboo processing, I was not a professional. This was the biggest challenge when I began working at Nanjing Forestry University. However, I have found that joining a professional team and receiving guidance from industry experts was a shortcut for me to overcome the challenges caused by disciplinary differences and achieve rapid improvement. Since 2018, I have been engaged in research related to bamboo processing and modification, bamboo flattening, and bamboo restructuring under the leadership of Professor Li Yanjun, a national leading talent in the field of bamboo in China. Under Professor Li's guidance, I have gradually improved my overall understanding of bamboo and wood materials.

3. Looking ahead, what do you believe will be the hot topics in the field of forest research in the next few years? Please share the topics and your reasoning.

In my opinion, bamboo processing and design of bamboo-based structural materials with the advantage of being green, environment-friendly and high-strength should be the hot topics in the field of forest research in the next few years.

As we know, bamboo has the natural carbon fixation ability. Being that they store carbon, bamboo buildings have obvious advantages and environmental benefits. Their important role in energy saving and emission reduction is increasingly noted by society. Compared with steel and concrete materials, bamboo building material has a lower carbon emission factor, so the carbon emission is low during construction, use and demolition stages. Promoting the development of bamboo structures and buildings according to local conditions is of great practical significance in reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions. However, the development of bamboo structure buildings is slow, which is due to a couple of factors: 1) Natural bamboo is difficult to be used directly as a structural material in high-rise buildings. The traditional sheet processing method greatly damaged the natural structure of bamboo, resulting in large amounts of glue, high cost, and low physical and mechanical properties; 2) The fluidity, wettability and permeability of traditional adhesives in bamboo are not good, resulting in poor bonding performance, and the extensive use of phenolic resin has adverse effects on the environment.

4. As a member of the IECF 2024 committee, could you briefly describe what kind of meeting you are hoping for？

I am looking forward to the meeting in which ground-breaking ideas from experts and young researchers in the field of forests can be shared. I hope that this meeting can provide a unique opportunity to connect with the brightest minds in the field, engage in discussions to shape new strategies and influence the future of forests.

5. With numerous conferences being organized each year, do you have any suggestions for making our conference more meaningful for scholars and students?

1) Develop professional themes; 2) strictly control the submitted abstracts, and 3) invite more well-known authoritative experts to share their research results and wisdom with everyone.

6. Could you share some of your past conference experiences? Did these conferences assist you in promoting your research results, expanding your network, finding potential collaborators, or advancing your career, etc.?

The most impressive international conference experience has been attending the SWST (Society of Wood Science and Technology) conference over the years. During these conferences, authoritative experts and renowned scholars in the field of wood science and technology from around the world were gathered. The conference set up a variety of themes and carried out various exchange activities. Everyone exchanged the latest research results during the conference, generating many meaningful research ideas.

7. What are your thoughts on the current trends and developments of open access publishing?

Open access for publishing papers can facilitate faster and wider dissemination of one's research findings. However, as an open access journal publisher, it is necessary to establish stricter standards and management in many aspects such as manuscript selection, solicitation, and review.

For more information about the 4th International Electronic Conference on Forests, please visit the following website: https://sciforum.net/event/IECF2024.