弗吉尼亚理工大学

The Department of Sustainable Biomaterials is one of the leading academic programs in North America. We support a large graduate education program where students are engaged in research. Due to the nature of sustainable biomaterials, we have considerable interaction in our graduate education and research endeavors with other departments, colleges, centers and institutes on the Virginia Tech campus. Our faculty expertise is diverse and experienced in support of our graduate education mission.

We provide educational and research opportunities in the areas of sustainable biomaterials, spanning the range from nanotechnology and the basic science of wood and other renewable materials, through processing, manufacturing, marketing, management, and competitiveness aspects of the various biomaterials industries. Some of our research is done in concert with our faculty-directed research centers and is supported by these Centers and their external cooperators.

General areas of degree specialization within our graduate program include: Forest Products Marketing, Non-Timber Forest Products, Packaging Science, Pallet and Container Design, Wood Engineering, Wood Performance in Structures, Composites, Adhesion, Wood Formation, Cell Wall Architecture, Bio-Materials, Lumber Drying and Processing, Lean Manufacturing, Wood Industry Management, Packaging for Modern Supply Chains, Packaging and Unit Load Design.

The M.S. is a research-based degree. Students work closely with a faculty advisor and graduate committee on original research. Advanced coursework is expected in the areas of expertise required to complete the research project. Students complete a thesis and are expected to publish their research results in peer-reviewed scientific journals at the completion of their degree. Graduates are prepared to continue their professional careers or undertake further study through a Ph.D. program.

All Graduate School requirements apply regarding the number of credit hours and level of courses required on a student's Plan of Study. M.S. students must complete a research working plan by the end of the second academic semester. Guidelines for the preparation and submission of the working plan are listed in the College of Natural Resources & Environment (CNRE) graduate program procedures.

M.S. students must pass a final exam. The examination will be a defense of the thesis and an assessment of the student's understanding of appropriate related subjects.