Is it possible to develop rigorous sophisticated models to describe the various physical-chemical phenomena that take place within the microstructure of wood in processing and in service?  Can natural and artificial intelligence be used to develop new processing methods and decision support systems to help industry reduce fiber losses and increase revenues? These complex questions have been the focus of Dr. Stavros Avramidis’ research for the past 20 years. Stavros and his research group are trying to place the pieces of the puzzle together.  Their aim is to fully understand the links between wood-water relations and physical properties of wood as these relate to processes such as wood drying, stabilization and modification.

Avramidis' group is using exotic mathematical and statistical tools such as fractals and neural networks, to help describe these links from the sub-microscopic to macroscopic level. His lab has produced a diverse research portfolio ranging from the characterization of various thermodynamic states of water in wood at the molecular level and how this affects wood behaviour, to the development of dielectric heating and drying technologies for wood and wood products in use by the industry.  

Stavros has a doctoral degree from the State University of New York.  He serves on the editorial board of four scientific journals and he is a Fellow of the International Academy of Wood Science and of the Institute of Wood Science.  Stavros can be reached at stavros.avramidis@ubc.ca.